Wawrinka, Del Potro win in third-set tiebreakers

Stanislas Wawrinka and Juan Martin Del Potro need third-set tiebreakers to reach the Shanghai third round on Wednesday. Wawrinka gets past Kevin Anderson while Del Potro overcomes Philipp Kohlschreiber.

(8) Stanislas Wawrinka d. Kevin Anderson 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(5)

Wawrinka withstood 21 aces off Anderson’s racket to prevail in two hours and 16 minutes during second-round action at the Shanghai Rolex Masters on Wednesday. Anderson served huge right from the start, but he was broken twice in the opening set despite making 70 percent of his first delivers. The 6’8” South African rebounded in the second, firing seven aces without double-faulting and saving all five of the break points he faced.

One break in the middle frame was enough for Anderson to force what proved to be a dramatic third. Wawrinka dominated on his own served but missed one break opportunity and thus had to play a tiebreaker. The eighth-seeded Swiss soon found himself trailing 5-2, but he took care of two service points then won two in row on return for a 6-5 advantage. Wawrinka capitalized on match point at 6-5 to end the proceedings on a five-point winning streak. He will go up against Milos Raonic for a place in the quarterfinals.

(6) Juan Martin Del Potro d. Philipp Kohlschreiber 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(4)

Kohlschreiber channeled his inner John Isner, but 22 aces–and no double-faults–were not enough to upset Del Potro. Like Anderson, the German could not deliver the goods when it mattered most and he eventually went down after two hours and five minutes.

Not only fatigued from a title-winning run last week in Tokyo, Del Potro was also playing with a fever. Nonetheless, the fifth-ranked Argentine did well to recover from a set deficit before pulling out a tense decider. He wrapped up his effort with 14 aces and one double-fault then withdrew from a doubles match. Del Potro is scheduled to face Tommy Haas in the third round on Thursday.