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NEW YORK -- The big man was relentless. His serves crashed down like loose boulders onto a narrow mountain road. His forehand swung from one side of the court to the other with the force of a wrecking ball, demolishing the game -- and the US Open hopes -- of the little man.It was a savage beating, and on the surface, it appeared a mismatch of the kind that would ordinarily drive a crowd howling into the corner of the smaller man.But this was different.The towering figure was 6-foot-6 Juan Martin del Potro, a former US Open champion whose career has nearly been destroyed by wrist injuries and surgeries. He was playing a much-loved underdog, 5-foot-9 David Ferrer. But nobody wanted to see the Little Beast slay the beloved giant.So the fans continually called out del Potros name; they periodically broke into the singsong chant, Ole, Ole, Ole, Delpo, Delpo. Once again, they helped lift del Potro to a win, as he overcame a sleepy start to take the third-round clash, 7-6 (3), 6-2, 6-3.All of New York appears to be in love with Delpo and his hard-luck story. Even Ferrer, whos almost always on the receiving end of the crowds affection, didnt have a bitter word to say about the crowds embrace of his opponent.This is a show, Ferrer said after losing. And the crowd was supporting Juan Martin del Potro. I am trying to focus on my match; I dont care.I feel I am [in] my home [country], del Potro said after the match, referring to the support he felt despite being 5,470 miles from his home in Tandil, Argentina. You make me so happy every day.Del Potro, whos 27 and in the tournament as a wild card, made his great breakthrough at the age of 20 here at Flushing Meadows with a startling and unexpected upset of Roger Federer in the 2009 final. Just months later, his right wrist became sore; rest and therapy were of no avail. He had surgery and missed all of 2010.Del Potro was barely rounding into playing shape when his left wrist went hinky. After two surgeries failed, the depressed player almost quit the game. He had one more procedure and began his comeback last summer. His ranking at the start of this year was in quadruple digits: No. 1042.Somehow, through all that grief, Delpo has managed to win the sixth-most career titles (18) of all active players.Spectators at tennis tournaments seem to know del Potros story, but thats only a partial explanation of his popularity. Many of them also respond at a more visceral level. Hes the quintessential gentle giant. Little children especially like him, said Guillermo Salatino, a veteran Argentinian broadcaster. He is like a strange thing, a giant, but he is also a nice one.Ironically, del Potro hasnt always been as popular at home as abroad. He has missed some Davis Cup ties, alienating many of his fiercely patriotic countrymen. However, del Potros inspired performance in Rio has won them over, according to Salatino. In Rio, del Potro upset top-seeded Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. He ultimately settled for the silver medal.Del Potro described his Rio experience as The happiest moment of my life.The moments he has experienced thus far at Flushing Meadows may be building toward a comparable peak. Theyve provided him with emotional fuel and inspiration. After his win against Steve Johnson on Thursday, del Potro said, Thats amazing when I get into the court, and the people likes just to see me. Im having great days at the US Open.Its heartwarming when a crowd of 20,000 adopts a player and showers him with the kind of love usually reserved for a lost, wet puppy. The rush is real when a player hears his name chanted. But while helpful, that support wont win you tennis matches. Del Potro is advancing inexorably in this tournament because hes a very big man hitting a very big ball like he hasnt done in a long time.As Ferrer said: He was injured two years; now he change a little bit his game. He is playing more aggressive with his forehand and with the serve.Del Potro won the match Saturday because he shook off the cobwebs and played aggressive tennis. His served clocked up to 133 mph, enabling him to win 81 percent of his first serve and 55 percent of his second-serve points. (Ferrers numbers in those key categories were 63 and 50 percent respectively.)More importantly, del Potro simply hit the ball deeper, harder and closer to the lines than Ferrer did, time and again. It counts, and it doesnt ever show up in the stat sheet.Ironically, this is how del Potros game might have evolved had he been on the tour, healthy, all these years. But in his case, necessity was the mother of invention. Del Potro still has to use his backhand sparingly if he can and slice more often than he might like.Thats why Im trying to play aggressive with my forehands, with my serves, del Potro said. Im trying to come into the net more often than years ago. Im trying to find a different way to play than I did in the past.His search is progressing nicely. Good luck to his rivals if and when he regains full use of all his shots. Nike Air Max 90 . -- The Bishops Gaiters are showing they belong among the countrys top varsity football teams. Air Max 90 Cheap . The team says the Spain international has a muscle pull in his right leg. Barcelona hosts third-division side Cartagena in the return leg of their round-of-32 tie after winning their first meeting 4-1. http://www.airmax90trainerssale.com/ . Its sharpness matched my mind. This was no night to go to sleep. PITTSBURGH -- His first real game in 11 months finally at hand, LeVeon Bell expected a few jitters. Or maybe a least a small sliver of rust.Nope. Maybe because the Pittsburgh Steelers running back was too busy providing a needed reminder of what he can do when hes healthy and -- perhaps just as importantly -- not in trouble with the commissioners office.His feet jitterbugging through the Kansas City Chiefs defense with alarming ease, Bell rolled up 178 yards of total offense in a 43-14 romp on Sunday night that showcased just how dangerous the Steelers can look when all of their remarkably talented parts are on the field at the same time.Its the `Juice, wide receiver Antonio Brown said. Anytime we have LeVeon out there on the field, we know the problems hes going to present to the defense.One the Chiefs (2-2) had no answer for, not after quarterback Ben Roethlisberger lit them up for four first-half touchdowns (five in all) and then let Bell get to work behind an offensive line that dominated the line of scrimmage.I was in the flow of the game, Bell said. I wasnt even thinking about (being rusty).Lining up all over the field in a variety of formations, Bell caught five passes for 34 yards and ran for 144 yards on 18 carries, including a 44-yard zig-zag in the fourth quarter that highlights Bells unique combination of patience and agility.We asked him to do a lot, Roethlisberger said. Not just be a running back and run the ball. But we put him in motion. We put him at wide receiver. We threw screens to him. We did a lot. And thats the confidence and faith we have in him and his ability.Considering he missed the second half of 2015 with a torn MCL in his right knee and the first three games of this season while serving a suspension for violating the leagues substance abuse policy, Bell wasnt exactly going to be picky about how he was used. Simply being out there and looking like the player who was an All-Pro in 2014 was enough.I just missed it, Bell said.And the Steelers missed him, recovering from a 31-point loss to Philadelphia the week before by handing Kansas City its worst setback in Andy Reids three-plus years on the job.Any time you get blown out, you want to respond, Brown said.STAR WATCH: Roethlisberger was held in check in a 34-3 meltdown at Philadeelphia.dddddddddddd A week later, he had as many touchdown passes as incompletions while going 22 of 27 for 300 yards and a quarterback rating of 152.5. Two of Roethlisbergers passes went to Brown while Markus Wheaton, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Jesse James caught one each.When you have a Hall of Fame quarterback, it looks good like that, center Maurkice Pouncey said.Brown boosted his career touchdown reception total to 42 and paid tribute to legendary golfer Arnold Palmer (a western Pennsylvania native) by wearing a pair of cleats that featured Palmers image.SLOPPY SLOPPY: A week after forcing the New York Jets into eight turnovers, the Chiefs got careless with the ball. The game turned in the first quarter when Spencer Ware fumbled in Kansas City territory to set up one touchdown and Smiths ill-advised screen pass was tipped and picked off to set up another.That game got out of hand early, Smith said.Kansas City will have plenty of time to figure out what went wrong. The Chiefs are off next week before traveling to Oakland on Oct. 16.Hats off to (the Steelers) for bouncing back after getting their tail whipped, Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce said. We have to do the same thing here over the bye. Tonight it was rough to go through this.GANG GREENE: Pittsburghs struggling defense received an impassioned pregame pep talk from Hall of Fame linebacker Kevin Greene, who was given the Ring of Excellence during a halftime ceremony. Whatever Greene said worked. The Steelers finished with four sacks -- three more than they had in their first three games combined -- and harassed Smith up and down Heinz Field.COSTLY WIN: While Kansas City escaped with just one players status uncertain after running back Knile Davis was evaluated for a concussion, the Steelers will prepare for a visit from the Jets with the status of several starters to be determined. Right tackle Marcus Gilbert (foot) and linebacker Jarvis Jones (ankle) left and did not return. Wide receiver Heyward-Bey is dealing with a shoulder problem and reserve linebacker Anthony Chickillo exited with a left knee injury.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '