Juan Martin Del Potro broke twice in each set to cruise past Joao Sousa 6-2 6-2 in 62 minutes to secure his spot in the third round at the Paris Rolex Masters. Keeping his hope alive of qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals in London.
Sousa won just 11 points in 8 return points and failed to convert the only break point he created. Del Potro won 50 % of the return points and converted four of his eight break points. Del Potro reeled 16 of of the first 20 points to race out to a 4-0 lead in the first set. He never looked back and held his serve at love to close out the first set. He started the second set with an early break. He went up a double break to open up a 4-1 lead, but missed his only break point in the next game. Sousa fended off two match points on his serve in the seventh game but Del Potro converted his fourth match point to secure his spot in the third round.
Del Potro has improved his win-loss record to 19-4 since the start of last September’s US Open. The Tower of Tandil can overtake Pablo Carreno Busta if he reaches the semifinal in Paris Bercy.
Del Potro will face Robin Haase, who upset Alexander Zverev in three sets. Del Potro leads 3-0 in his previous three head-to-head matches against Haase. Del Potro is projected to meet either Grigor Dimitrov or Richard Gasquet in the quarter finals.
It would be a remarkable achievement for Del Potro, if he qualifies for the season-ending event at the O2 Arena, as he was ranked back in 47th place in the ATP Race to London. He has climbed to number 13th after an impressive second half of the season in which he reached the semifinals at the US Open and in Shanghai, won his second consecutive title in Stockolm and finished runner-up to Roger Federer in the Basel final.
Fernando Verdasco came back from one set down to edge this year’s US Open finalist Kevin Anderson 5-7 6-4 7-5 on the Court 1. Verdasco saved a break point at 1-2 and 2-3 in the third set before breaking serve at love in the 11th game to take a 6-5 lead.
The first set went on serve until the 12th game when Anderson drew the first blood converting the first break point. Verdasco broke in the fourth game of the second set. The Spanish player held his serve to seal the second set, as Anderson failed to convert two break-back points at 4-5. Verdasco reeled off three games from 4-5 with a break at love in the 11th game with two backhands. Verdasco saved a final break point with a serve to secure his spot in the third round, where he will face Dominic Thiem.
Julien Benneteau fought back from one set down to beat Jo Wilfried Tsonga 2-6 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 after overcoming two deuces at 5-6 in the second set and rallying from a 2-4 deficit in the second-set tie-break.
Tsonga got two breaks at deuce in the second and eighth game to win the first set 6-2. Benneateau earned three break points in the ninth game of the second set but Tsonga saved them. The second set went on serve until the tie-break. Benneteau fought back from 2-4 down by winning five consecutive points to take the tie-break 7-4. Tsonga failed to convert a break point in the first game of the decider. Benneateau converted his first break point in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead and sealed the win with a double break on his second opportunity in the eighth game.
Grigor Dimitrov beat Richard Gasquet 6-4 6-4 in one hour and 22 minutes to clinch his 44th win of the season in the first of two matches of the evening session of the Paris Rolex Masters at the Accorhotels Arena in Paris Bercy.
Gasquet won the first five head-to-head matches he played against Dimitrov between 2011 and 2013 but Dimitrov clinched his third consecutive win to reduce his gap to 3-5.
Dimitrov did not face any break points. Gasquet faced eight break points and dropped serve in the 10th game in both sets.
Both players held serve easily until the 10th game, when Dimitrov hit a smash winner to bring up a set point on return and broke serve, as Gasquet sent his forehand long. The second set started withfive easy holds of serve. Gasquet faced four break points in the 11-minute sixth game. He saved all of them and held serve with a backhand winner. Gasquet went down 0-40 in the 10th game to face three break points. The Frenchman saved the first two chances but Dimitrov sealed the win with a break on his third match match point, when Gasquet sent a forehand long.
In the final match of a packed day David Goffin edged past local favourite Adrian Mannarino 6-2 2-6 6-3 to come within a win of qualifying for the ATP Finals in London. Goffin will face another French player Julien Benneteau.
Mannarino won 8 of the first 9 points to open up a 2-0 lead with an early break. Goffin broke three time in the fourth, sixth and eighth games to win the opening set 6-2. Mannarino opened the second set with an early break. Goffin dropped his serve for the second time to fall behind 2-5. Mannarino served out for the set after saving three break points in the next game. Goffin earned his only break of the decisive set in the fourth game for 3-1 and never looked back to seal the win. after 1 hour and 27 minutes.
Marin Cilic knocked out Borna Coric 6-4 6-3 setting up a third round match against Roberto Bautista Agut, who beat Jeremy Chardy 6-4 6-1.
Lucas Pouille followed up the biggest title of his career last week in Vienna with a 6-3 6-4 win over Feliciano Lopez. Pouille must win the title to keep his dream alive of qualifying for the ATP Finals in London.
