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US Open Champion Del Potro Set for Debut in Dubai

DUBAI — Juan Martin Del Potro stunned everyone last September when he battled his way through the draw at the US Open and then claimed an upset victory over world number one Roger Federer to lift the trophy at Flushing Meadows.

Now the 21-year old Argentine is set to electrify his many fans on centre court at the Dubai Tennis Stadium as he bids to add another title to his growing portfolio, a press release said.

However, his US Open triumph was not the only success that Del Potro has enjoyed in his still-short career. In 2008 he finished the season as the youngest player in the top 10 after reaching five finals and winning four titles, and he helped Argentina to the Davis Cup final against Spain. Then, last year he once again ended the year as the youngest player in the top 10, earning a personal-best ranking of number five in the world.

In addition to sweeping aside all opposition to win the US Open, he won titles in Auckland and Washington, before reaching the final of the Barclays ATP World Finals in London where he fell to Nikolay Davydenko. It was in New York City that he made history, however, becoming the first player to beat Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in a Grand Slam tournament and becoming the first Argentine to capture the US Open since Guillermo Vilas in 1977.

Del Potro has also begun 2010 in the same rich vein of form, that suggests he will be a strong challenger for the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships title, despite having to face a field that includes Australian Open champion Roger Federer and runner-up Andy Murray, 2008 Dubai winner Andy Roddick, Dubai defending champion Novak Djokovic and Barclays ATP World Tour Finals winner Nikolay Davydenko.

As a warm-up for that challenge, in Melbourne he demonstrated his staying power by outlasting James Blake in the second round of the Australian Open, winning 10-8 in the fifth set. That match stretched to 62 games, the most played in the tournament, and he went on to reach the fourth round before finally going down in five sets to Croat Marin Cilic.

Despite everything else he has achieved, it was the US Open that made Del Potro’s name, and he is hoping that a similar big-city environment that he says exists in both New York City and Dubai will provide him with the same motivation and luck.