It all looked grim for del Potro after he got breadsticked by Nicolas Mahut in the first set. More than being a set down–far from a daunting prospect, all things considered–there were fears that the Argentine just wasn’t fit enough to compete in this tournament. After all, he came into Paris with huge question marks after a groin injury forced him to retire against David Goffin in Rome.
But it was just a slow start, and del Potro rode his trademark powerful and consistent tennis into a 4-set win over Mahut to book a second round most likely with countryman Leonardo Mayer (who took him to the brink in Indian Wells this year, before del Potro eventually won the title). When del Potro is in the draw and fit to compete, it always creates a certain sense of expectation and anticipation; while it is true his game and body can break down at any point, on his day del Potro can be a match for anyone in the world on any surface–which includes a certain Rafael Nadal on clay.
At a time where it’s hard to find someone who can even take a set off Nadal in the Paris clay (though Simone Bolelli certainly came close), the possibility of a del Potro vs Nadal semifinal is at the very least intriguing. The Argentine hasn’t done much on clay since his first major surgery, but he’s no stranger to going deep in Roland Garros; back in 2009, he was arguably the toughest test Federer faced en route to the Swiss’ sole French Open title. On the right day, del Potro is just as dangerous on clay as on any other surface and his draw doesn’t look too daunting. A del Potro run to the final or all the way to the title appears to be extremely unlikely, but his career has been defined by upsetting all odds. If del Potro gave up in the face of impossible odds, he’d have been retired for several years now; instead here he is, still fighting and perhaps the only man who can possibly add some spice to a tournament most see as yet another Rafael Nadal coronation.
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