Del Potro battles to tight win in first round
Thursday, August 29, 2013, 09:35 GMT+7
Former champion Juan Martin del Potro outslugged a gritty Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in a contentious four-set match decided by a tiebreaker to reach the second round of the US Open on Wednesday.
Argentine Del Potro, who won his only grand slam at Flushing Meadows in 2009, beat the 74th ranked Spaniard 6-3 6-7 (5) 6-4 7-6 by taking the climactic tiebreak 9-7 on his fourth match point.
The towering sixth seed had all he could handle from an inspired Garcia-Lopez in a match that saw the players bicker on a changeover as Del Potro complained about treatment his opponent was receiving on his left leg.
Garcia-Lopez, who had several extremely close calls in his favor reversed by challenges, kicked at his towel in disgust after a costly reversal during the tiebreaker.
The four hour, 13 minute marathon actually lasted twice as long with two rain delays totaling more than four hours further extending the match.
Del Potro will next play 2001 US Open champion Lleyton Hewitt of Australia, who beat American wild card Brian Baker 6-3 4-6 6-3 6-4.
US Open men's singles round 1 results: Leonardo Mayer (Argentina) beat Victor Hanescu (Romania) 7-6(4) 6-4 3-6 7-6(4) Marcel Granollers (Spain) beat Juergen Zopp (Estonia) 6-1 3-6 1-6 6-3 6-4 9-Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) beat Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) 7-6(2) 6-3 6-2 Rajeev Ram (US) beat 16-Fabio Fognini (Italy) 6-1 6-2 6-2 Evgeny Donskoy (Russia) beat 29-Jurgen Melzer (Austria) 7-5 6-3 7-6(3) Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) beat Brian Baker (US) 6-3 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (Spain) 6-3 6-7(5) 6-4 7-6(7) Peter Gojowczyk (Germany) beat Igor Sijsling (Netherlands) 7-6(7) 2-6 6-4 6-1 20-Andreas Seppi (Italy) beat Xavier Malisse (Belgium) 6-3 3-6 7-5 7-5 Tim Smyczek (US) beat James Duckworth (Australia) 3-6 6-2 6-4 6-1 Somdev Devvarman (India) beat Lukas Lacko (Slovakia) 4-6 6-1 6-2 4-6 6-4 Alexandr Dolgopolov (Ukraine) beat David Goffin (Belgium) 6-2 6-4 6-4 21-Mikhail Youzhny (Russia) beat Nicolas Mahut (France) 6-4 6-4 7-6(4) 17-Kevin Anderson (South Africa) beat Daniel Brands (Germany) 7-5 4-6 6-2 6-3 Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus) beat Go Soeda (Japan) 6-4 6-3 6-1
