Juan Martin del Potro is back. And in more ways than one.
Back in the top 10, as of yesterday. Back at the Australian Open, for the first time in four years after multiple wrist surgeries. And back in the second round, a stage he’s reached in all nine of his visits to Melbourne Park.
Del Potro advanced courtesy of a 6-3 6-4 6-3 over American Frances Tiafoe, who was a 15-year-old junior talent the last time the Argentine appeared at this tournament.
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And Del Potro’s victory extended Tiafoe’s struggles at tour level since his glory days in the junior ranks; the soon-to-be 20-year-old is winless in 2018, and has won back-to-back tour-level matches just once in the past 12 months.
"It's amazing to be back in Melbourne after four years. It's been a while and I'm happy to be playing tennis again. This tournament is so good – the atmosphere here is unbelievable,” Del Potro said, acknowledging the crowd support.
"I think the people liked my effort to come back and play tennis after three wrist surgeries, and I was close to quit tennis a few years ago. But now I'm here, I'm healthy, I'm playing tennis again. And you (the crowd) make me feel so happy playing this tournament.”
This was a workmanlike performance from Del Potro, who returned to the top 10 for the first time since August 2014 after reaching last week’s ATP final in Auckland. And it was in direct contrast to the flashy, crowd-pleasing antics of Tiafoe, who showed patches of brilliance, yet was too inconsistent to mount a sustained challenge.
Even their outfits, with the same Nike pattern, featured polar-opposite colour palettes; while Tiafoe’s popped in hot pink, Del Potro opted for a muted grey.
You could argue their forehands were also emblematic of this contrast. Del Potro’s, produced with a traditional grip and flat trajectory – and mightily effective – played perfectly into Tiafoe’s embellished, gnarly, wristy stroke. The youngster missed a lot on that wing simply because he was robbed of the time to complete the elaborate swing.
Del Potro was less potent with his backhand, frequently slicing the ball and struggling to penetrate with his double-hander. Yet it mattered little when his serve and forehand were so venomous.
A single service break in each set was all Del Potro needed to take a two-sets-to-love lead.
Tiafoe threatened to break back late in the second set, accruing three break points as Del Potro attempted to serve it out. But the Argentine painted the lines with several forehands to force errors, and escaped.
Another break to Del Potro, in the fifth game of the third set, put the result almost beyond doubt. The Margaret Court Arena crowd did their best to will the American back into the contest, yet Del Potro continually suppressed any comeback attempt.
He belted a forehand crosscourt for a winner to take a 5-3 lead, and when two more errors leaked from Tiafoe’s erratic forehand wing, the No.12 seed had secured victory in two-and-a-quarter hours.
"I felt pressure to win this kind of match against the next generation, because I'm older,” he laughed.
“But anyway, I'm playing tennis, I'm so happy for that. It doesn't matter the result in the end of the day – I’m healthy, I'm doing what I like.
“It's amazing to see how improved this tournament (is) after four years. So I'm very lucky to be here.”
Next up is Karen Khachanov.
