The Argentine Juan Martin del Potro gave a good tennis class in the first set and recovered from a drop in the second to win by 6-2, 7-6 (7) to the Austrian Dominic Thiem and access his first semifinal in the Mexican Open Tennis
In a duel between two of the 10 best players in the world, Del Potro, ninth in the ranking, he broke the service to Thiem, sixth, in the third game and from there he imposed his best tennis from the back of the field to take the initial sleeve in just 31 minutes.
In the second set, the Argentine continued his dominance and took a quick 2-0 lead with a break, before a patient opponent, he headed for the win, but in the tenth game he could not close his performance and Thiem drew 6-6. and forced to dispute the ‘tie break’.
In a series of give and take, Del Potro went ahead 8-7 with his service to complete his victory.
“It was a hard match, I’m tired, but I have a day off to face tomorrow a more complicated opponent like Alexander Zverev, it’s my first semifinal in Acapulco and I’m excited,” Del Potro said.
Now the Argentine will have to show his best game against the German Zverev, fifth in the ranking of the world, who made clear his condition of second favorite by defeating by 6-4 and 6-1 the American Tyan Anderson.
The winner of the Del Potro-Zverev duel will qualify for the final against the winner of the match between the South African Kevin Anderson, fifth favorite, and the American Jared Donaldson.
Anderson defeated the Korean Hyeon Chung 7-6 (5), 6-4 in an even match in which the eighth player of the ATP was better in the key moments.
More comfortable was the victory of Donaldson who beat the Spaniard Feliciano López 6-3, 6-1 in 53 minutes.
In the women’s squad the Swiss Stefanie Voegele won by 6-4, 7-6, 6-2 to the American Sloane Stephens, first favorite, and will play the semifinal against the Swedish Rebecca Peterson, from the qualification tournament, which won 6-2, 6-1 to China’s Shuai Zhang, fourth seed.
The debacle for the favorites was completed by tennis player number two, the French Kristina Mladenovic, defeated 6-2, 6-2 by the Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko, defending champion, who tomorrow will face the Australian Daria Gravilva who achieved an anguished victory by 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 over Paraguayan Verónica Cepede. efe
