Juan Martin Del Potro got through a tough first-round matchup at the If Stockholm Open on Wednesday, beating John Isner 6-4, 7-6(6). Del Potro withstood 15 Isner aces and did not face a single break point on his own serve to advance in one hour and 29 minutes.
The opening set all but ended after Isner served at 2-2. He led 40-15 only to get broken from out of nowhere, ultimately double-faulting at ad-out. Del Potro had no trouble closing it out from there, as the Argentine dropped only seven points in his first five service games.
Both players held the entire way throughout the second frame of play, with Isner saving four break points in the opening game–including three in a row from 0-40 down. The No. 7 eventually had the set on his racket at 6-5 in the tiebreaker but Del Potro managed to block back a return, fought off set point, and proceeded to seize two consecutive mini-breaks. He converted his first match point at 7-6 to book a spot alongside Nicolas Almagro in the last 16.
“I’ve been here twice in the past and did not win a match,” said Del Potro, who lost his opening match at this event in 2007 and 2011. “Hopefully this is a good sign for me to go far this week. I’m very happy to have a chance to come back here and to be able to show my best tennis.
“Isner has a difficult game to play against. In the second set, I was lucky in the tiebreak to take the chance to win the match.”
Del Potro, ranked 63rd, can climb as high as No. 41 in the world if he wins the Stockholm title.
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