DEL POTRO THROUGH

Juan Martin Del Potro has been defeated by Jeremy Chardy of France in the third round of the Australian Open 2013. Chardy won the match by 6-3, 6-3, 6-7(3/7), 3-6, 6-3. This was a marathon match and went on for 3 hours and 45 minutes. Tsonga bounced back quite well after losing the first couple of sets, but, he couldn’t keep the momentum going in the final set and ended up losing the match.

Chardy made a great start to the match. He broke Del Potro’s service in the second game of the first set and took a lead of 2-0. He maintained that lead till the end of the set and won the first set by 6-3.

Chardy carried on his rhythm in the following set as well. He got breakthroughs in the fifth and the ninth game of the second set and sealed the second set by the same margin of 6-3.

The Frenchman was looking in full control till the end of the second set. But, in the third set, Del Potro re gathered his concentration and things started getting a bit difficult for Chardy. Both the players broke each other’s service in the first two games in the third set and the scores were levelled at 1-1. The next 10 games went with the serve and the set went into the tie breaker. In the tie breaker, Del Potro was bang on target. He played some fine forehand shots and won the tie breaker to seal the third set.

Del Potro’s performance was fantastic in the fourth set as well. There were no breakthroughs in the first 8 games and the scores were levelled at 4-4. Del Potro got a breakthrough in the ninth game and then, he served out the next game to wrap up the set.

After losing two consecutive sets, Chardy came back in the final set. He held his entire serve and with the help of one breakthrough in the eighth game, he won the set and thus, the match.

In the fourth round, Chardy will take on Andreas Seppi of Italy.