Published : Feb. 27, 2013 - 20:09
Novak Djokovic serves the ball to Viktor Troicki on Tuesday. (AFP-Yonhap News)
DUBAI (AP) ― Juan Martin del Potro saved three match points Tuesday to get past Marcos Baghdatis 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4) and reach the second round of the Dubai Championships, while Michael Llodra upset eighth-ranked Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in straight sets.
Top ranked Novak Djokovic, looking for his fourth Dubai title, had a much easier time against good friend and fellow Serb Viktor Troicki, beating him 6-1, 6-4 in just over an hour.
Del Potro, who reached the quarterfinals in Marseille and won his 14th title the week before in Rotterdam, appeared sluggish early, handing the first set to Baghdatis when he hit one of his three double faults. But the 2009 U.S. Open champion served better in the second, and broke Baghdatis to go up 3-2. The two traded breaks in the third and Del Potro won it when the Cypriot hit a forehand into the net after a short rally.
Del Potro then saved three match points at 5-4 in the third before forcing the tiebreaker.
Mexican Open
ACAPULCO (AP) ― Rafael Nadal needed just over an hour to beat Diego Schwartzman of Argentina 6-2, 6-2 on Tuesday to advance to the second round of the Mexican Open.
The seven-time French Open winner is making a comeback after being away from the tour for more than seven months with a left-knee injury.
Nadal made the final of the VTR Open earlier this month in Chile before losing to Argentine Horacio Zeballos. A week later he reached the final of the Brazil Open and defeated David Nalbandian to secure the title.
He is seeded No. 2 in the clay court tournament at Mexico, behind fellow Spaniard David Ferrer.