It was by no means a perfect performance, but Juan Martin Del Potro’s 7-6(13, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Dudi Sela of Israel in the first round was an indication that the 2009 US Open champion cannot be taken lightly at Australian Open 2011. It was the towering Argentine’s first Grand Slam match since last year’s Australian Open, when he fell to Marin Cilic in a five set thriller in the fourth round. Del Potro left the court with a huge smile on his face and with a fair amount of ambition.
“I feel good,” he said. “It’s nice for me be here with these players, this tournament, and of course playing a Grand Slam. Today I play good tennis again. But I’m really enjoying this week. I met with all the players, especially the top‑10 players. They support me when I was very bad. So now I face to face with them and I say thank you.”
The Argentine had wrist surgery after last year’s tournament and did not play again until last autumn, shutting it down quickly as his wrist wasn’t up to the task. He played two matches in Sydney, beating Feliciano Lopez and then falling to Florian Mayer, and while he wasn’t on top of his game there, at least he felt like his ball striking was improving. Sela, who is a talented all-around player, held five set points in the first set in the tiebreak before Del Potro launched a hard forehand into the corner.
Del Potro was more or less in contrail of the match from then on, mixing gigantic serves with hard groundstrokes and fine movement for his 6-foot-6 inch frame. He’s still not at the level that saw him take down Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer in succession to win the US Open, but few men have such raw power off both wings and if he can grow in confidence, he could be a force in the tournament. But he admitted that he’s not at his 2009 level yet. “I don’t think so,” he said. “To my future, I will try my best. I don’t want to think in the past. I won a Grand Slam, but I’m working to improve my game. I don’t know if I can play like two years ago or not, but I will try. I’m trying to improve every day. I’m trying to fight with the top‑10 players again.”
While he experienced some stressful times during his long layoff, Del Potro felt he matured, but said the process was quite difficult. He still doesn’t know what’s ahead of him, as he lost confidence during the long layoff. “This is my present. If I play against Rafa or if I play against 50 different player, I will feel ‑ I don’t know ‑ very complicated,” said Del Potro, who cracked 47 winners but committed 52 unforced. “It just depends my game. It just depends my mind, my physical. I know the way to win matches, but I need time to do it.”
Del Potro will face former Aussie Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis in the second round, which is sure to be a tough test, and could face 2010 Roland Garros semifinalist Jurgen Melzer in the third round. He’s going to have to push his level up in every match and whether his surgically repaired wrist can withstand hours of play is open to question. But if the former top five player does get over on the Cypriot and the Austrian and reaches the second week, you can bet that No.5 Andy Murray, who is slated to be his foe, wont be overly pleased that the lethal 22-year-old is rounding into form.
“I know the way to be with good ranking again. But it’s a long road,” he said. “I need to work very hard because all the players are very tough at this moment. All players playing good tennis, especially here in the five‑set matches. But I’m still improving my game. I feel good with my wrist. That’s important to training every day and to feel comfortable for the next tournaments.”
