Juan Martin Del Potro proved once again he’s a lot further down the recovery road than anybody could have expected after a convincing 6-4, 6-0 win over Tim Smycek in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open. This is the Argentine’s second event after returning from a serious wrist injury and he put on a tremendous performance that will have turned various heads in the locker room.
The giant from Tandil won 75% of his service points and broke serve up to four times and set up the standout game of the second round where he will face Tomas Berdych. It is worth noting that Del Potro reached the final in his last appearance at Indian Wells back in 2013, so adapting to his surroundings won’t be a major problem.
Another blockbuster match which took place on the open day was between two of the USA’s big hopes for the future, Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz. With the ATP currently making a big splash on social media with the #NextGen players, who are called to rule the game in a matter of years, this was a perfect opportunity to see two of them go head to head. Tiafoe upset the form books in his first meeting with Fritz, who has been one of the most outstanding #NextGen players in 2016, and took the encounter 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.
Perhaps spurred on by the recent good results of his compatriot and playing with a hint of envy, Tiafoe sent out a clear message to his good friend that he and another group of young Americans are always going to be snapping at his heels.
“Usually I handle pressure really well but I definitely wanted to beat him badly because I never beat him in juniors. It’s been a while and I’ve been doing so well and I thought this was my time to take it”, said Fritz.
Referring to Fritz’s strong start to 2016, Tiafoe admitted that “I think it’s great, him doing well. If he can do it, why can’t I do it? Winning a match at Indian Wells is huge, it’s a dream to play on this court, there’s so many great matches played on that court”.
Tiafoe will now play David Goffin in the second round.