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Heineken Open top seed Juan Martin del Potro -
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Top seed Argentinean Juan Martin Del Potro thrilled the Heineken Open crowd with some virtuoso tennis, coming back from a set down to beat classy Latvian Ernests Gulbis 4-6 6-4 6 6-1 on Wednesday.
World number nine Del Potro, in his first outing of the year, took some time to find his rthymn but came home the stronger to seal the match in one hour forty three minutes.
World number 51 Gulbis seemed to tire as the match wore on, and admitted earlier in the week that inconsistency remains his major Achilles heel.
The 20-year-old Del Potro paid tribute to his opponent after the match.
"He is one of the best players of this season. It is a very heavy (tough) match to start the year".
Both players were erratic in the first set, with five breaks of serve.
Del Potro, serving to stay in the set at 4-5 down, soon found himself at 0-40 down and facing three set points.
He saved one, but the Latvian converted the next and had the first set in 37 minutes.
There was a noticeable lift in intensity in the second set and the tennis could not have been closer.
Gulbis served impeccably in the second set, managing 78% of first serves and four aces - but came up with unforced errors at just the wrong times.
Del Potro was noticeably relieved to take the only break of the set and force the match to a decider.
He showed all the class and fighting qualities it takes to be in top ten, and it bouncing full of confidence engendered from 2008 where he garnered four ATP crowns in Stuggart, Kitzbuhel, Los Angeles and Washington.
The lanky 1.98m Del Potro is surprisingly agile for a big man and showed real pace and anticipation to hunt down some Gulbis drop shots.
In the final set Del Potro broke Gulbis in the third game after more unforced errors and you sensed that broke the Latvian spirit.
He continued to fight, but lost serve again and Del Potro served out the set 6-1 to progress to the next round.
The top seed will face compatriot Juan Monaco or big-serving Serbian Viktor Troiicki in the quarter finals on Thursday.
