The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Current Temperature
50°F
Current Conditions
Few clouds
View complete weather report
Subscribe now

Juan Martin Del Potro wins opener at Estoril Open in Portugal

Juan Martin del Potro, of Argentina, returns a shot from Roger Federer, of Switzerland, during a tennis match at the Miami Open, Monday, March 27, 2017 in Key Biscayne, Fla. (Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press)
Associated Press

ESTORIL, Portugal – Fifth-seeded Juan Martin del Potro beat Yuichi Sugita of Japan 6-1, 6-3 in the first round of the Estoril Open on Tuesday.

The former U.S. Open champion hit eight aces and broke Sugita four times to ease to the win in his clay-court debut for the season.

Del Potro, who won the Portuguese tournament in 2011 and 2012, will face American Ryan Harrison next after he beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-3, 2-6, 6-2.

American qualifier Bjorn Fratangelo upset sixth-seeded Joao Sousa 6-3, 6-4, and will face Taro Daniel of Japan after he beat Renzo Olivo 7-6 (2), 4-6, 7-5 in nearly three hours.

Nicolas Almagro also advanced after beating the eighth-seeded Benoit Paire 6-3, 6-2, while qualifier Joao Domingues outlasted Kyle Edmund 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (2) and Carlos Berlocq beat Elias Ymer 7-5, 6-4. On Wednesday, top-seeded Pablo Carreno Busta plays fellow Spaniard Tommy Robredo.