Del Potro Scrapes His Way Into SF Saturday
Juan Martin del Potro has done a bit of everything the past two weeks in Indian Wells. He's dominated in straight sets, imposing his lethal game on his opponents. The 2013 finalist has also had to fight, coming back from a set down in his fourth-round match against fellow Argentine Leonardo Mayer.
Del Potro's quarter-final was more like the latter, but that was OK with the Argentine, who's been up for any task of late. The sixth seed, who's chasing his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title, won his ninth consecutive match on Friday afternoon, prevailing against German Philipp Kohlschreiber 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and eight minutes.
“It wasn't an easy match as everybody saw. But I was waiting for my chance to find the way of the game, and I did after the first set. And then my games improved a little bit, and I found the way on my returns,” Del Potro said.
He reached his third BNP Paribas Open semi-final and his first since 2013 (also 2011), when he made the final before falling to Rafael Nadal. Saturday's last-four matchup will be Del Potro's 11th Masters 1000 semi-final, and he'll face Milos Raonic, another big-hitting right-hander eager to return to the title match in Indian Wells.
The 6'5” Canadian, who fell to Novak Djokovic in the 2016 final, beat Sam Querrey of the U.S. for the third consecutive time in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 earlier Friday. Raonic leads his FedEx ATP Head2Head series with Del Potro 2-1, including a straight-sets win at the 2017 Delray Beach Open.
“I know Milos is another guy who can win the tournament. Roger and Coric are playing so good. So everything can happen. But I'm looking forward to winning my first [Masters 1000] here,” Del Potro said.
Kohlschreiber was playing in his 83rd Masters 1000 tournament and was trying to make his first Masters 1000 semi-final. The 34-year-old had the right game plan. The crafty right-hander unsettled Del Potro in the first set with his variety – slicing his backhand, pushing his one-hander all over the court and drawing the 6'6” Argentine to the net with drop shots.
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But Del Potro, who had converted only one of his five break points in the first set, made sure to take advantage of his opportunities in the second, breaking Kohlschreiber in the eighth game when the German overhit a forehand.
It was anyone's match in the decider, but Del Potro made an adjustment that helped propel him back to the semi-finals in the Coachella Valley. The right-hander hit his backhand up the line more often, rather than almost exclusively crosscourt, and the adjustment helped open up the court more for his world-class forehand. Del Potro broke in the fifth game and held to love while serving for the match.
“I played more aggressive with my two-handed backhands, and I played more down the line. I think that was the big key, the big change of the match,” Del Potro said.
Did You Know?
Del Potro has never won a Masters 1000 title. He's fallen in all three finals he has reached: 2009 Canada (l. to Murray), 2013 Indian Wells (l. to Nadal) and 2013 Shanghai (l. to Djokovic).