Del Potro Starts US Open Campaign

Juan Martin del Potro, the charismatic and popular Argentinean, got his US Open campaign off to a strong start on Wednesday when he defeated Swiss Henri Laaksonen 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(5) in two hours and 33 minutes.

Appearing at the US Open for the fifth time since he captured the 2009 trophy, No. 24 seed del Potro lost his serve only once and struck 15 aces, among 32 winners, for his 25th match win at Flushing Meadows. Eight years ago, del Potro snapped Roger Federer’s 40-match winning streak at the major in a five-set final win.

’The Tower of Tandil’, who features in sixth seed Dominic Thiem’s quarter of the draw, will now meet Spaniard Adrian Menendez-Maceiras, who recorded his first major championship win over American Patrick Kypson 6-4 7-6(9), 6-1. At the age of 31, Menendez-Maceiras had qualified for his first main draw in his 10th attempt in New York. He is a two-time winner on the ATP Challenger Tour this year, in Leon, Mexico and Samarkand, Uzbekistan.