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Del Potro passes another test to reach last 16
US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro survived another searching examination to make his way into the last 16 at the Australian Open on Friday.
The Argentine fourth seed emerged from a two hour 34 minute dogfight with Florian Mayer to down the 60th-ranked German, 6-3, 0-6, 6-4, 7-5 on Rod Laver Arena.
Del Potro will play either 14th seeded Croat Marin Cilic or 19th Swiss seed Stanislas Wawrinka in the fourth round.
He said he expected a tough encounter after Mayer eliminated 29th Serbian seed Viktor Troicki in the previous round.
“I felt very confused with my game, especially in the second set,” del Potro said
“But after that I improved a little bit. And then I finished the match playing some a very good points.”
It has been rugged work for the Argentine giant at the year’s opening Grand Slam.
He needed four sets to get past American Michael Russell in the first round and five sets to overcome another American James Blake in the second round.
He has now spent almost 10 hours on court in his three matches, and should he get past the next round he could face American seventh seed Andy Roddick in the quarters.
Del Potro, who won the US Open in his 14th Grand Slam appearance last September, broke Mayer’s serve five times, twice in the opening set, once in the third and twice in the final set.
But he found Mayer a determined customer and only had one point to spare over the German at the end, 118 to 117.
He beat Mayer in straight sets in the second round at last year’s Australian Open, but lost to him in their first meeting in Stuttgart in 2006.
“I think he’s playing better this year,” del Potro said of Mayer.
“His forehand has improved a lot as has his serve. He was focused until the last point.”
He said in the past Mayer would lose concentration during his matches.
“He felt maybe confused with the game, he goes south for two or three games. But today it didn’t happen. I think he could have a very good season.”
Del Potro, utilising his superior reach, cracked 45 winners and 11 aces, but that was offset by 46 unforced errors.
The Argentine 21-year-old looked to be heading for a comfortable afternoon’s work on centre court when he twice broke Mayer’s opening three service games, but hit a rut when he failed to win a game in the second set.
Del Potro gained some measure of control in the third and fourth sets to see off Mayer’s challenge.
Mayer was bidding to reach the round of 16 at a Grand Slam for the first time since 2004 Wimbledon.
Del Potro became a hero in Argentina when he became the first South American to win a US Open since compatriot Guillermo Vilas in 1977.
His accomplishment was all the greater for ending Roger Federer’s five-year US Open title run.
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