French Open: Del Potro toughs out five-set win

If there’s one quality Juan Martin del Potro has consistently required throughout an injury-marred career, it’s resilience. The Argentine called on it again as he toughed out a five-set win over Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka to progress to the third round of the French Open.

Contesting only his fourth tournament of 2019 – and his first Grand Slam since fracturing his right knee-cap in a fall at the Shanghai Masters last October – Del Potro required three hours and 46 minutes to record the 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-7(5) victory.

??????@delpotrojuan | @yoshihitotennis | #RG19 pic.twitter.com/uHqgY8IMIz

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 30, 2019

Outnumbering the world No.72 Japanese with his 69 winners and 17 aces (compared to 50 and 6 respectively from Nishioka), Del Potro noted how the testing second round required his best tennis.

“He’s a tough one, for sure. He has fantastic physical conditions. He’s very, very fast and very solid from the baseline,” said Del Potro.

“It was a tough match… Long rallies, long points. We made a great match, and in the end, I think I played a little bit better than him.”

REPORT: Djokovic breezes into third round.

The other challenge for Del Potro was injury. The No.8 seed was treated by a trainer after dropping the first set and completed the match with his right knee heavily taped.

Del Potro, a Roland Garros semifinalist in 2009 and 2018, later appeared to play down concerns about the injury.

“I slid and I lost my balance, and I hurt my hip, and this also resounded in my knee. I felt a weird feeling, which worried me,” he told media.

“And after all I have gone through, my feelings in my knee, I had to be careful and fight mentally during those games to make the best decision and decide what I had to do to play correctly.”

“It was costing me to move and to play, but if you’re strong mentally, the passion, the desire to play and to compete is what takes over. And that’s how I won.”

Cansado pero feliz. La ovación del final fue un momento único. Gran batalla @yoshihitotennis! Gracias @rolandgarros por otro recuerdo imborrable. ???? ????

Tired and happy at the same time. Yoshi, what a battle! Thank you @rolandgarros for another unforgettable day. pic.twitter.com/i6YtZbtlPO

— Juan M. del Potro (@delpotrojuan) May 30, 2019

Through to the third round of Roland Garros for the sixth time in nine appearances, Del Potro now faces Australian Jordan Thompson.

It continues a positive return for the 30-year-old Del Potro.

A quarterfinalist on his initial comeback to the tour at Delray Beach, Del Potro underwent further rehab ahead of the claycourt season and held match points in a quarterfinal exit to Djokovic at the Rome Masters.