Del Potro Dominates In Clay Season Debut

Juan Martin del Potro was nearly perfect during his clay-court season debut on Tuesday. The fifth seed struck eight aces and saved the lone break point faced to beat Japan’s Yuichi Sugita 6-1, 6-3 at the Millennium Estoril Open.

Del Potro, a two-time champion of the Portugal Open (2011, 2012), which preceded the Millennium Estoril Open, extended his Portugal win streak to 10 matches and has now won 19 consecutive sets. Sugita came in at a career-high No. 73 in the Emirates ATP Rankings after beating Estoril No. 1 seed Pablo Carreno Busta last week to reach the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell quarter-finals.

“I feel better than I thought before the match,” said del Potro. “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 28-year-old del Potro will next face American Ryan Harrison, who saved both break points in the third set of his 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 victory against Spanish veteran Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

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Harrison’s countryman Bjorn Fratangelo saved six of seven break points to upset sixth seed and home favourite Joao Sousa of Portugal 6-3, 6-4. The American qualifier will next face Japan’s Taro Daniel, who outlasted Argentina’s Renzo Olivo 7-6(2), 4-6, 7-5 in two hours and 55 minutes.

Defending champion Nicolas Almagro made quick work of eighth seed Benoit Paire, needing only 53 minutes to advance past the Frenchman 6-3, 6-2. All 13 of Almagro’s titles have come on clay, and he said he has a little extra motivation to add another one to his collection following the birth of his son, Nico, in February. 

“I’m able to fight a little bit more on court because I want to win a title for him,” he said.

Joao Domingues, a 23-year-old Portuguese qualifier, celebrated his ATP World Tour debut in dramatic fashion in front of his home fans. The World No. 242 was down 2-5 in the third set but saved two match points in the decider to upset seventh seed Kyle Edmund of Great Britain 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(2).