Juan Martin Del Potro continued his run in Rio De Janeiro with a three-set win over Sousa, while Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was eliminated by Gilles Muller.
The Argentinian Del Potro, who made the biggest upset of the tournament so far by beating Novak Djokovic in first round, ousted Portuguese Joao Sousa 6-3 1-6 6-3. After losing the second set, he found 11 winners in the decider, where he dropped just two points on his serve.
“I’m getting better. I’m in good shape, but I don’t know if I’m prepared to play six or more matches,” Del Potro said after his second round win.
“This week I’m just going slowly, trying to get better every day.”
In the next match, Del Potro will meet Japanese Taro Daniel, who defeated British Kyle Edmund 7-5 6-4.
Luxembourg’s serve and volley specialist Gilles Muller managed to achieve one of the biggest wins of his career by downing Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4 6-3. Muller fired 14 aces and saved all the seven break points faced, while Tsonga, who suffered a toe problem, was broken twice.
“I had a big problem with my toe,” Tsonga said about his injury.
“I do not know yet what it is exactly. It’s either a big bruise or a sprain.
” I’m disappointed because it’s the Olympics, but I gave my best with the conditions of the day. In any other tournament, I would have stopped. “
Muller will face Spaniard Roberto Bautista-Agut in the next round. The tenth seed defeated Italy’s Paolo Lorenzi 7-6(2) 6-2, winning the last four games of the match.
French player Gael Monfils also moved into the third round, eliminating home player Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-2 6-4. He will face Croatian Marin Cilic, who eased past Radu Albot from Moldavia 6-3 6-4.
After yesterday’s Dustin Brown’s injury, another German was forced to leave the tournament as Philipp Kohlschreiber withdrew with a foot fracture. Due to the German’s withdrawal, Slovakia’s Andrej Martin advanced to the third round.
