RIO OLYMPICS TENNIS NEWS – JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO BATTLES TO ANOTHER WIN! RAFA RAFAEL NADAL BACK IN ACTION ON TUESDAY

Written by: Staff on 8th August 2016

RIO OLYMPICS TENNIS NEWS - JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO BATTLES TO ANOTHER WIN! RAFA RAFAEL NADAL BACK IN ACTION ON TUESDAY

epa05466563 Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina hits a return with is partner Maximo Gonzalez of Argentina against Rafael Nadal and Marc Lopez of Spain during the men's doubles match of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Tennis events at the Olympic Tennis Centre in the Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 08 August 2016. EPA/MICHAEL REYNOLDS |

By Ricky Dimon

The schedule did Juan Martin Del Potro no favors at the Rio Olympics on Monday afternoon. But his trusty forehand did.

Playing just 15 hours after stunning world No. 1 Novak Djokovic 7-6(4), 7-6(2) in the first round, Del Potro fought off physical and mental fatigue to scrape past Joao Sousa 6-3, 1-6, 6-3. The 2012 bronze medalist at the London Games fired 13 aces and won 20 of 22 service points in the third set. He finished the match with 16 forehand winners (compared to only one off the backhand wing).

Next up for Del Potro is Taro Daniel, who upset Jack Sock in the opening round before beating Kyle Edmund on Monday.

Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts after defeating Federico Delbonis of Argentina in a men’s singles first round match at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Tennis events at the Olympic Tennis Centre in the Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 07 August 2016. EPA/MICHAEL REYNOLDS

Rafael Nadal will hope to join the 27-year-old Argentine in the last 16 when he takes the court against Andreas Seppi on Tuesday. Nadal and Del Potro, who are on a collision course for the singles semifinals, faced each other in doubles on Monday evening. The Spanish duo of Nadal and Marc Lopez held off a fatigued Del Potro and his Argentine partner Maximo Gonzalez in three sets.

Nadal’s latest comeback from injury could not have gotten off to a better start, as he cruised through his singles opener 6-2, 6-1 at the expense of Federico Delbonis on Sunday. That marked the 14-time major champion’s first match since round two at Roland Garros, after which he missed Wimbledon, as well, because of a wrist problem. Nadal is 18-2 in his last 20 matches, all of those having come on clay.

It would be fair to say that Nadal benefited from a favorable draw in round one in the form of Delbonis. In two previous routs of the underdog Argentine, the 2008 gold medalist in Beijing had dropped a total of seven games in four sets. Nadal does have one loss to Seppi, but he has also defeated the Italian on six occasions and has won their last four encounters–including eight straight sets.

Seppi booked his spot in this showdown by outlasting Illya Marchenko in a third-set tiebreaker during first-round action.

“Seppi is a very tough player,” Nadal assured. “He can play very well on all surfaces with great control from the baseline. I have to change the rhythm of the match to have success.”

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: 10sballs.com, Andreas Seppi, Joao Sousa, Juan Martin Del Potro, Marc Lopez, Maximo Gonzalez, Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal, Ricky Dimon, Rio 2016, Rio Olympics, Sports, Taro Daniel, Tennis

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hpoinsett says:

August 8, 2016 at 7:00 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: #RioOlympics #Tennis News – Del Potro Battles To Another Win! Rafa Back In Action On Tuesday
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10sBalls_com says:

August 8, 2016 at 8:55 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: #RioOlympics #Tennis News – Del Potro Battles To Another Win! Rafa Back In Action On Tuesday
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