Delpo Dominates Ramos-Vinolas, Sets Isner Clash
One year ago, Juan Martin del Potro fell in the third round at Roland Garros against No. 1 seed Andy Murray. The Argentine, then No. 30 in the ATP Rankings, was still working his way back from multiple wrist surgeries, so winning a couple matches in his first appearance on the terre battue since 2012 was a positive step.
But one year later, things have changed in a massive way. Del Potro is the No. 5 seed in Paris, and on Saturday he cruised into the Round of 16 with a 7-5, 6-4, 6-1 victory against 2017 Monte-Carlo finalist Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
"After the first set, I took the control of the game. I played [at a] high level most of the match," Del Potro said. "It was a tougher first set for both, but I did well in just a couple of points, very important moments. And then I played much better. I felt good on court, and my movements were okay for today, so I'm glad for that."
It is the 29-year-old’s third trip to the fourth round at the clay-court Grand Slam championship. But perhaps it is the year that he will better his career-best semi-final showing from 2009, when he lost to Roger Federer. Del Potro, who won his maiden ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title in March at the BNP Paribas Open, is also climbing toward his career-best ATP Ranking of No. 4. The World No. 6 is pushing for a return to the Top 5 for the first time since the week of 24 February 2014.
"I think I'm strong enough to keep doing well. It has been three difficult matches for me, but I played well and I know I could play even better in my next round," Del Potro said. "All the guys who are still alive in this tournament have [a] big chance to go far, so now the tournament becomes more interesting to watch and to play."
The ‘Tower of Tandil’ moved past Ramos-Vinolas in two hours, 18 minutes, and he has now won all six of his sets against the Spaniard in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series. While the scoreline appears straightforward, the action was not.
Ramos-Vinolas managed to break at two of five opportunities, breaking Del Potro as the Argentine served for the first set and later gaining an early lead in the second set. But 22-time tour-level titlist Del Potro crucially raised his level at the end of the first two sets, cracking the Spaniard's serve to win both. And after taking a two-set lead, Del Potro rode the momentum to his second consecutive straight-sets triumph. He broke six times in the match, hitting 32 winners en route to the victory.
The Tandil native, who also lifted the trophy in Acapulco this year, will next play John Isner, who beat home favourite Pierre-Hugues Herbert 7-6(1), 6-4, 7-6(4). The No. 9 seed is also in form — much like Del Potro, he also won his maiden Masters 1000 crown earlier this year, in Miami. And, also like the Argentine, Isner is into the Round of 16 in Paris for the third time.
The 33-year-old is one of just two men from the United States (Jack Sock, 2015) to advance to the fourth round at the clay-court Slam since Robby Ginepri did so in 2010. Only six different Americans have reached the Round of 16 on the terre battue in the past 20 years – Isner, Sock, Ginepri, Andy Roddick (2009), Andre Agassi (1999, 2001-03) and Michael Russell (2001).
Isner hit 17 aces in his two-hour, 23-minute victory against Herbert, and faced just one break point in the match, which he saved. The American has faced just three break points in the tournament thus far, and has held in all of his service games.
"He has such a strong game and [is] so powerful," Herbert said. "He can impose that on anybody on a good day."
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The American will look to win his third consecutive match against Del Potro, a streak that includes a victory in this year's Miami semi-finals. However, the Argentine leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 6-4.
Did You Know?
Juan Martin del Potro's match against Albert Ramos-Vinolas was the fourth meeting between an Argentine and a Spaniard at Roland Garros this year. The Spanish player had won on each of the three previous occasions, but this time it is the Argentine moving into the Round of 16.