After a couple of weeks filled with big ATP tournaments in Monte-Carlo and Barcelona, the ATP circuit is moving further along. A traditional clay court event, Millenium Estoril Open is having Juan Martin del Potro amongst its stars, with the Argentine player resuming his schedule after time off. del Potro, a former Grand Slam champion and one of the most talented players on the professional tour is still having trouble maintaining an extended schedule. After losing to Roger Federer in Miami, it was obvious that he was not playing his best.
Del Potro got past his first opponent and will face Ryan Harrison of the United States for a place in the quarterfinals
The 5th seed at Millenium Estoril Open, del Potro got past Yuichi Sugita in straight sets 6-1 6-3. The next in line is Ryan Harrison (52 ATP) who got past Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (120 ATP) in the previous round. The 28-year-old Argentine and the 24-year-old American have a short history. Both past matches were won by del Potro but they were played on outdoor hard courts, while this one will be on clay. It's not easy to come back from an injury or a long break and del Potro knows how these things work. Last season was a true delight to have him competing on the professional tour.
He capped his comeback with an Olympic silver medal in Rio and a title in Stockholm.
Given his age, the Argentine tennis star is still capable of doing great things on the professional circuit
In men's Tennis, guys like Juan Martin del Potro will always find a place. Despite being tall, his athleticism is one of his great skills, along with the raw power he usually generates with his forehand.
After all, there aren't many players capable of hitting such a flat and damaging forehand regardless of the surface. Its been almost 8 years since his best clay court result -- the semis of the 2009 french open. At 28 years of age, he could be one of the leading figures of men's tennis in the years to come. He must keep himself healthy and do his best to avoid injury, however.