Del Potro shakes off rust
Miami, Feb. 22: US Open champ Juan Martin Del Potro got his season off to another successful start at the Delray Beach Open, winning in straight sets against Kevin Anderson and overcoming an opening set tumble in the process.
Del Potro wasn’t at his best, especially on his backhand. But he used his powerful serve and blasted enough forehand winners to beat the South African 6-4, 6-4.
Del Potro hammered five aces and won 84 percent of his first serve points in the first round battle between two former tournament winners.
In another marquee match-up Tuesday, Canadian top seed Milos Raonic blasted 10 aces in downing US qualifier Tim Smyczek 6-1, 6-4 to reach the second round. Colombia’s Santiago Giraldo 6-2, 6-3.
Darcis, ranked 57th, faced only one break point over the final two sets in fighting back to bounce Tomic in 90 minutes, booking a secondround match against Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili, who lost Sunday’s ATP Memphis Open final to American Ryan Harrison.
US third seed Jack Sock fired eight aces in downing Moldova’s Radu Albot 6-4, 7-6 (7/2). Sock, ranked 21st, next plays Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, who dispatched Germany’s Dustin Brown 6-3, 6-3.