Del Potro Wins First Match Since Last February

Argentinean Juan Martin del Potro won his first match since last February, knocking off Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-3, 7-6(4) at the Sydney International on Tuesday.

“It was a great moment for me,” said Del Potro, who is the defending champion at this tournament. “I think I played well in my first match after ten months. I served well. My forehand is still working out. So that’s a good signal for the future. I need to work very hard to my backhands and my movements, but I think now is time to think about my comeback and enjoy this moment.”

He broke in the fourth game of the match to take a 3-1 advantage, and holds would occupy the rest of the set as del Potro closed out the opening frame 6-3. The 26-year-old was then tested as Stakhovsky forced the second set into a tie-breaker.

Showing no signs of pain in that wrist, del Potro closed it out in the breaker after a few points, wrapping up the win in 81 minutes.

The win puts him into the second-round and into a matchup with top-seeded Fabio Fognini. Despite the long layoff, del Potro says he feels fine and is ready to go out there again and take on Fognini.

“It’s supposed to be worse after an intensive match like today, but I’m feeling well at the moment,” said Del Potro. “I will see tonight and maybe tomorrow morning, but my doctor is behind me.  He gives me big confidence every day, so I’m still positive and I still want to play tennis.”

Australian Bernard Tomic, who del Potro beat in last year’s final, made his way into the second-round on Tuesday by defeating the Netherlands’ Igor Sijsling 6-1, 6-2. He will meet German Philipp Kohlschreiber in the next stage.

American Sam Querrey was ousted by seventh-seeded Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 4-6, 4-6. The difference in the match came down to the ability to pick up break points. Chardy notched two breaks while Querrey failed to capitalize on three break point opportunities.

Chardy will take on Gilles Muller in the next round. Muller came back from a set down to beat Australian qualifier Sam Groth 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(6).

Martin Klizan, the eighth-seed, was bounced by Serbian Victor Troicki in straight sets. Up next for Troicki is Spain’s Pablo Andujar, who ousted Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen 6-2, 6-2.