Del Potro Extends Washington Winning Streak

Three-time champion Juan Martin del Potro’s Citi Open winning streak is up to 15 matches with the Argentine taking down Lukas Lacko on Tuesday night. The No. 13 seed downed the Slovak 7-5, 6-2 as he advanced to the third round.

The 28 year old will carry a 5-1 FedEx ATP Head2Head record into a third-round clash with No. 2 seed and 2015 champion Kei Nishikori. The Japanese star narrowly held off Donald Young 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(5).

Lacko’s best chance of snapping del Potro’s winning run came as he broke serve twice to level at 4-4 in the opening set. After he lost a tight opener in 53 minutes, however, the No. 119 in the Emirates ATP Rankings scantly troubled the former World No. 4 again. Del Potro powered through the last five games of the match.

His only loss in Washington, D.C. came as an 18-year-old to Wayne Odesnik in 2007. But this was his first match at the Citi Open since the most recent of this three title runs in 2013.

Nishikori later booked his seventh showdown with the Argentine in a gripping two-hour, 28-minute affair. Young saved match points when he served to stay in the second-round clash – twice at 4-5 in the third set, and once more at 5-6 – before he fought off a further two match points in the deciding-set tie-break.

American Tennys Sandgren landed his maiden ATP World Tour match win with a 7-6(2), 6-3 victory over Japan’s Go Soeda. Sandgren thumped down 10 aces and conceded just two points on his first serve in the opening-round clash. He never faced a break point.

“It feels good. It’s still kind of different being in the main draw on my own ranking,” Sandgren said. “Obviously they’ve got the extended draw here so I feel like I had a small opportunity here to try and win a match or two. I think I played well tonight. Feel like I found some good form so I’m excited about that.”

Australian No. 10 seed Nick Kyrgios is his next opponent. The pair has never faced off.

“That’d be the best player I’ve ever played against, it’s exciting,” Sandgren said. “I hope I bring a good level. I hope the tennis is fun.”