Simply playing a tennis match was a monumental victory for Juan Martin Del Potro on Tuesday at the Apia International. That he advanced to the second round with an impressive straight-set win was icing on the cake.
Playing for the first time in 10 months, Del Potro beat Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-3, 7-6(4) in one hour and 21 minutes. The Argentine, who was making a comeback from wrist surgery, fired seven aces without double-faulting, won an incredible 37 of 41 first-serve points, and did not face a single break point the entire way.
Del Potro took control by breaking for 3-1 in the first set. Stakhovsky managed to hold all the way through the second en route to a tiebreaker that went back-and-forth early. Del Potro trailed 2-0, won three points in a row, and gave back a mini-break before his opponent’s double-fault at 4-4 proved to be decisive. The defending Sydney champion promptly took care of the final two points on his own serve.
“It was a great moment for me,” Del Potro said afterward. “I think I played well; I served well. My forehand is still working. So that’s a good signal for the future. I need to work very hard [on] my backhands and my movements, but I think now is time to think about my comeback and enjoy this moment a lot.
“I’ve been at home for a long time; (it’s been) really sad. To be honest, I didn’t expect this moment to be early in the season. I’m so happy; so glad.”
Highlights:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_RWoq2EdN8]
Second-set tiebreaker:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-zihW2jaEM]
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