Basel: Fourth seed Juan Martin del Potro started his bid for a third Swiss Indoors title by outlasting Portugal’s Joao Sousa 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 here Wednesday.
The injury-plagued Argentine had lifted the Basel trophy in 2012 and 2013 – beating home favourite and eight-time winner Roger Federer in both of those finals.
Del Potro is making a late charge for a spot at next month’s ATP Finals in London after winning the Stockholm Open last weekend. If Pablo Carreno Busta loses his second round match in Vienna, Friday against Del Potro’s fellow Argentine Diego Schwartzman, the South American would move into the eighth and final qualifying spot for the year-end tournament.
Third seed David Goffin, who stands provisional eighth in the race to London, kept his hopes alive by beating Korean Chung Hyeon 6-4, 6-1.
Del Potro wasted no time in getting on top of the 60th-ranked Sousa, winning the first six points and breaking three times en route to the opening set.
Sousa was much-improved in the second set as he started a comeback, finally breaking Del Potro before serving out the set to force a decider.
In the third, Del Potro again found his lethal form, cruising to the victory by firing a trademark forehand winner on his second match point. He next faces Julien Benneteau of France, who saw off American Donald Young 6-4, 6-2.
“Tomorrow (Thursday) I need to play better for sure if I want to stay here longer,” said World No.19 Delpo. “But after all of my wrist problems, this is good for me. I have to manage my body after all of my matches.
“I have a tough match against Benneteau. But I really want to play Federer again in his hometown, that is always a great moment for me. Against Benneteau, I need to return well, serve better, hit my forehand hard and keep the ball in the court – all that will give me a chance to win,” added the Argentine.
French seventh seed Adrian Mannarino beat Belgian Ruben Bemelmans 7-6(7/0), 4-6, 6-1, while Croatian Borna Coric rallied to overcome Swiss Henri Laaksonen 6-7 (8/10), 6-1, 6-3. In another match Hungarian Marton Fucsovics beat Jared Donaldson, 6-0, 6-1.
At a glance
Del Potro beat Joao Sousa 6-1, 4-6, 6-1
Adrian Mannarino bt Ruben Bemelmans 7-6(7/0), 4-6, 6-1
Julien Benneteau bt Donald Young 6-4, 6-2
Borna Coric bt Henri Laaksonen 6-7(8/10), 6-1, 6-3
Agence France-Presse
