Del Potro Beats Montanes In Opener; Wawrinka, Cilic Reach Second Round

Written by: Staff on 27th May 2012

Del Potro Beats Montanes In Opener; Wawrinka, Cilic Reach Second Round

epa03237957 Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina returns to Albert Montanes of Spain during their first round match for the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 27 May 2012. EPA/YOAN VALAT |

(Original Story: http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2012/05/Roland-Garros/Roland-Garros-Sunday-del-Potro-Wawrinka-Win-Openers.aspx)

Ninth-seeded Argentine Juan Martin del Potro began his Roland Garros campaign with a 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-1 over Albert Montanes of Spain on Sunday.

The 23-year-old del Potro hit 56 winners and won 74 per cent of his first serve points against Montanes, who he also beat en route to his 11th tour-level title at the Estoril Open earlier this month. Montanes committed 37 unforced errors – two fewer than del Potro – and drops to 7-12 on the season.

“I was struggling a little,” said del Potro. “Roland Garros is a physically-demanding tournament. I have to keep that in mind as I am playing well at the moment.”

Stanislas Wawrinka, the No. 18 seed and 2003 junior champion, battled past Flavio Cipolla of Italy 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-2, having hit 55 winners and four aces. The Swiss has reached the fourth round the past two years (l. to Federer both times).

Croatian No. 21 seed Marin Cilic hit 10 aces and 34 winners to defeat Spaniard Daniel Munoz-De La Nava 6-4, 6-4, 7-5. Cilic reached the Last 16 in 2009 (l. to Murray) and 2010 (l. to Soderling). He is now 9-8 on the season and just three match wins shy of 200 victories.

Former World No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, who won his lone major in Paris in 2003 (d. Verkerk), experienced few difficulties in beating World No. 157 and French wild card Jonathan Dasnieres de Veigy 6-1, 6-4, 6-3. Ferrero, now 32, hit 39 winners to improve to 34-10 at the clay-court Grand Slam championship.