Juan Martin Del Potro fought back from one set down to beat 2014 semifinalist Grigor Dimitrov 3-6 6-2 6-3 after 2 hours and 8 minutes in a blockbuster first round match at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia at the Foro Italico in Rome. Del Potro scored his fifth win in as many matches against Dimitrov. Del Potro came to Rome with just one match played on clay this year. He had to pull out from Estoril when his grandfather died. He scored his 79th Masters 1000 win.
Del Potro broke serve four times to turn around the match after losing the first set. He hit seven aces and saved three of the five break points he faced, including two break points in the final set. Del Potro will take Kyle Edmund, who beat Joao Sousa 6-3 6-4.
In the most anticipated match of the day Dimitrov held his first service game at deuce after saving two break points to take a 1-0 lead. Del Potro hit a running forehand crosscourt to earn a double break point. Dimitrov fended off both break points before hitting a forehand down the line to hold serve.
Del Potro had to fend off a break point before holding his serve in the fourth game. In the sixth game Dimitrov rallied from 15-40 down to break serve at deuce for a 4-2 lead, when Del Potro hit a forehand into the net. The Bulgarian player hit a backhand down the line to consolidate for 5-2 and served out the first set to love with a forehand winner by 6-3.
Del Potro converted his second break point at deuce in the second game. He went up a double break on his third break point to race out to a 4-0 lead. Dimitrov got one break back to love in the fifth game for 1-4 with a backhand return and a forehand pass crosscourt. Del Potro converted on his second break point in the eighth game to wrap up the second set 6-2 forcing the match to the third set.
The first six games went on serve with no break points. Dimitrov earned a couple of break points in the seventh game but he could not convert them. In the eighth game Dimitrov faced a break point for the 10th time in the match but saved it with a high forehand volley. Dimitrov faced another break point after missing a forehand down the line.
After rallying from 40-30 down, Del Potro converted on his second break point at deuce to take a 5-3 lead, as Dimitrov double faulted for the second time in the game. Del Potro sealed the win with a serve down the middle in the ninth game to score his first win in Rome since 2013.
“I think I played well during the whole match. i had my break points in the first set, and Grigor played better in that moment. I think he took the opportunities but in the second and in the third sets I played solid from the baseline. I hit harder with my backhands, and I think my serves helped me to win the match”, said Del Potro.
