ATP TENNIS STAR JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO OFF TO WINNING START IN ESTORIL OPEN BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 3rd May 2017

ATP TENNIS STAR JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO OFF TO WINNING START IN ESTORIL OPEN BY RICKY DIMON

epa05940893 Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina returns a ball to Yuichi Sugita of Japan during their first round match of the Estoril Open in Cascais, Estoril, Portiugal, 02 May 2017. EPA/TIAGO PETINGA |

Juan Martin Del Potro just barely missed out on a first-round bye at the Estoril Open as the No. 5 seed, but it hardly mattered for the Argentine. In fact, he may have been content to get an extra match under his belt because he had not played since falling to eventual title winner Roger Federer at March’s Miami Masters.

Del Potro’s opener proved to be little more than a practice session on Tuesday, when he kicked off his clay-court swing with a 6-1, 6-3 beatdown of Barcelona quarterfinalist Yuichi Sugita. The former world No. 4 fired eight aces and saved the only break point he faced to advance after one hour and 20 minutes.

“I feel better than I thought before the match,” Del Potro commented. “I think I played a great match today. I feel good with my serve. I feel confidence all the time with my forehand, my backhand, my slices, and I feel I did well.”

The world No. 33 must continue to do well if he wants to secure a seed for the French Open later this month. Relative inactivity due to the fact that he wants to preserve the health of his left wrist has slowed Del Potro’s charge up the rankings. Bad draws have done the same. Seeded lower than his level of play warrants in Indian Wells and Miami, the 2009 U.S. Open champion had to face Novak Djokovic in round three of the former and Federer in round three of the latter. Del Potro also lost to Djokovic in the Acapulco second round.

A more favorable draw is in the cards for Del Potro this week.

Sugita was running on fumes after playing six matches in Barcelona and Thursday opponent Ryan Harrison had not won a match since winning the Memphis title in February until he beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 on Tuesday.

This marks the third career showdown between the two competitors, with Del Potro sweeping the head-to-head series 2-0. He prevailed 6-2, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 at the 2012 U.S. Open and 6-1, 7-5 one year later in Washington, D.C.