Berdych Bests Del Potro In The Desert

The ATP World Tour’s best comeback story of 2016 will continue elsewhere.

Facing his first top 10 opponent since returning to professional tennis last month, Juan Martin del Potro was outdone by the Czech Republic’s Tomas Berdych, 7-6(4), 6-2 Saturday at the BNP Paribas Open.

The Argentine was playing in just his sixth match of 2016 after returning to the ATP World Tour at Delray Beach last month.

“It’s not easy [to] play against Tomas,” del Potro said. “He plays so aggressive all the time, and I had to run a lot today.”

But for a set, del Potro was matching Berdych, who’s No. 7 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. The players exchanged service holds, forcing the first-set tie-breaker. But it was Berdych who played best in the tie-breaker and claimed the first set.

“I had my opportunities to win that set,” del Potro said.

In the second set, Berdych applied more pressure on del Potro’s serve to win the match. Berdych converted seven of his nine break-point opportunities in the second set, after seeing only one in the first set.

“These guys are the best of the world,” del Potro said of Berdych and others. “I need to keep playing matches and tournaments. I can work hard at home physically, mentally, but I need matches to improve, you know. This is the only way.”

Berdych will now face either Borna Coric of Croatia or Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil in the third round.