Robredo and del Potro reach last eight at Indian Wells

Juan Martin del Potro

INDIAN WELLS, California, (Reuters) – Spaniard  Tommy Robredo, despite being hampered by a hamstring strain,  crushed American Sam Querrey 6-1 6-3 yesterday to become the  first player through to the Indian Wells quarter-finals.

Juan Martin del Potro

Robredo will next meet former U.S. Open champion Juan  Martin del Potro of Argentina, who came from 1-6 down in the  second set tiebreak to beat Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-6 7-6.

Del Potro, who played just three tournaments last year  because of a wrist injury, sealed victory with his 13th ace of  the match after the German had netted a forehand on the  previous point.

Robredo broke an out-of-sorts Querrey three times in the  opening set and once in the second to win their encounter in 82  minutes and improve his record this year to 16-4.

Under overcast skies at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, the  Spaniard struggled with his leg late in the second set and was  delighted to have a day’s rest before Friday’s quarter-finals.

“Hopefully it’s going to be alright,” 25th seed Robredo  said courtside after grunting and groaning his way to victory  from the baseline. “I have had this pain for a month already  and in the fourth game of the second set, I felt a strain.

“Luckily I could win,” the Spaniard told reporters later,  speaking through an interpreter. “And now I have one day to  recover, and hopefully I can go through.

“I’m happy for me because I could win today and I have one  day to recover.”

DEL POTRO
CHALLENGE

Asked about the challenge of del Potro in the next round,  Robredo replied: “He’s a great player and hits so hard all the  time. He’s coming on strong again after last year.”

Querrey, who upset ninth-seeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco  7-5 6-4 to reach the fourth round for the first time at Indian  Wells, was frustrated after his poor display against Robredo.

“I just couldn’t get my rhythm, couldn’t really sink my  teeth into it,” said the American 21st seed who served up six  double faults in the first set. “I just couldn’t get my rhythm,  couldn’t really sink my teeth into it.”

Del Potro, who has slipped to 90th in the rankings from a  career-high number four, was up a set and a break in a tight  match before Kohlschreiber fought back.

The German got back on serve in the seventh game and  appeared to take control of the tiebreak which followed.  However the towering Argentine stunningly saved five set points  before wrapping up victory with his timely ace.

“It is not normal to come back from 6-1 down on tiebreaks  but I got lucky and I take my opportunities,” said del Potro  who won his eighth ATP title at last month’s Delray Beach  International Championships.

“I say, try to make an ace; I did. Because I’m winning  matches, I have confidence to do it, and that’s what I need for  the next match.”

Later yesterday, world number one Rafa Nadal was  scheduled to take on Indian qualifier Somdev Devvarman while  second-ranked Roger Federer was pitted against American  wildcard Ryan Harrison.