Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – They come sporting the famed sky blue and white shirts of their football heroes, proudly drape banners over the walls and Argentine flags around their shoulders.
Occasionally, they even get so carried away that a punch-up ensues.
Sounds like an average matchday at Argentina’s hostile football stadiums, except these raucous scenes are a common sight at the gleaming, 10,000-seater centre court of the Olympic Games tennis centre at Barra.
For the Argentine fans, it’s a matter of national pride that Juan Martin del Potro, the ‘Tower of Tandil’ is flaunting his considerable talents on the soil of their hated neighbours, Brazil.
“The crowd always makes a special atmosphere,” said Del Potro, who stunned world number one Novak Djokovic in the first round.
The Argentine then reached the last-16 by seeing off Portugal’s Joao Sousa.
It was all too much for two fans — one Brazilian and one Argentine — who came to blows.
“I hope that will not happen again because people need to enjoy these matches and we need to have peace between Argentina and Brazil. This is not football,” said Del Potro.
The 2009 US Open champion’s name was widely booed when he came on court.
But the jeers were often drowned out by screams of “Delpo, Delpo” after every successful point.
Fans wearing Argentina shirts emblazoned with the name of football hero Lionel Messi on the back may have been out-numbered but they were not out-sung.
At least one fan got the message, holding up a banner painted with the word ‘PAZ’ (PEACE).
– Belluci grudge match? –
On Wednesday, a small band of Argentine diehards shivered in the rain as they waited on Court One for Del Potro’s match against Taro Daniel of Japan.
Flags and banners displayed allegiances from all over Argentina. “770km Un Solo Corazon” (one heart) read one.
It’s possible that Del Potro could face Brazilian number one Thomaz Bellucci in the semi-finals.
Bellucci played to a packed house on Tuesday night when he defeated Uruguay’s Pablo Cuevas in another tie simmering with pent-up South American tension.
Every time Cuevas found the net, the best part of the 10,000 crowd roared their derision.
“When we play Davis Cup in Brazil, it’s not in a big stadium like this with so many people,” said Bellucci.
“The atmosphere was amazing. The Brazil fans are very passionate, very friendly, they play with the players.
“When you win a point they start screaming. In Europe, people are more calm, they don’t make that much noise. Here, they get crazy.”
Del Potro’s compatriot Juan Monaco wasn’t able to use the crowd support to steer him past defending champion Andy Murray, losing in straight sets in the second round.
That didn’t prevent him throwing all of his playing gear into the grateful hands of his fans at the end.
“It was a kind of gratitude to them, to the fans who made the big effort to come here,” said Monaco.
Djokovic left the court in tears on Sunday after his loss to Del Potro, pumping his right fist against his heart.
“I don’t know how to thank them, honestly. This kind of atmosphere, I have experienced only a few times in my life,” said Djokovic.
“I felt like I was in my own country. I felt Brazilian.”
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