Cincinnati: Former US Open winner, Juan Martin del Potro made a winning return to the Cincinnati Open tennis tournament here Tuesday when the Argentine ground out a 3-6, 7-6(7-1), 6-0 victory over 10th-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych to reach the second round here.
The 28-year-old, back here after a four-year hiatus, powered down 17 aces to rally past Berdych after he surrendered the opening set following a listless start.
Berdych found his rhythm early in the match and broke Del Potro for a 3-1 lead and did not lose a point on his powerful serve until the 10th game.
But as Del Potro, a semifinalist here 2012 and 2013, worked his way back into the match, Berdych slowly began to lose confidence and failed to win a single game in the deciding set.
“During the second set, in the end, I played my best tennis,” 2009 US Open champion Del Potro told reporters. “I hit so sure with my forehand. I made good serves and I took all my chances to win.
“Mentally, I was strong enough to keep fighting and I think he got down after losing that second set. Then, when I broke his (Berdych) serve early in the third (set), my game started improving and I played much better than him,” added the Argentine. He will next meet American qualifier Mitchell Krueger in the second round.
Australian Nick Kyrgios also opened his campaign with a welcome victory as the World No.23 beat Belgian ninth seed David Goffin 6-2, 6-3 in the afternoon heat to reach the second round.
Other than in the first game when he had to climb out of a 0-40 hole, Kyrgios experienced few problems on serve and even secured three breaks against Goffin, who had to take a medical time out for a knee injury during the match.
In other action, third seed Dominic Thiem of Austria was barely tested in his 6-3, 6-2 second round win over Italy’s Fabio Fognini, while Jack Sock beat fellow American Tommy Paul 6-3, 6-3 to reach the round of 16.
In the women’s segment Spaniard Garbine Muguruza got her final US Open tune-up event off to a flying start as the Wimbledon champion stormed by Brazilian qualifier Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-2, 6-0 to reach the third round.
Second seed Simona Halep overcame an early deficit to beat American qualifier Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-1 and also reach the third round, while Venus Williams beat Alison Riske 6-2, 6-0 to advance to the second.
French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko was upset 4-6, 2-6 in the first round by unseeded Serbian Aleksandra Krunic and Agnieszka Radwanska, seeded 10th, was another to suffer an early exit, losing 4-6, 4-6 to German Julia Gorges.
Main results
Del Potro bt Tomas Berdych 3-6, 7-6(7-1), 6-0
Nick Kyrgios bt David Goffin 6-2, 6-3
Dominic Thiem bt Fabio Fognini 6-3, 6-2
Garbine Muguruza bt Haddad Maia 6-2, 6-0
Aleksandra Krunic bt Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 6-2
Venus Williams bt Alison Riske 6-2, 6-0
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