Juan Martin Del Potro followed up his win over top seed Novak Djokovic with a 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 victory over Portugal's Joao Sousa to reach the third round of the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Early breaks traded, Del Potro breaks late to take the first set
The match began with a couple of long holds exchanged. Del Potro then was broken to 15 as Sousa took an early 2-1 lead. The Argentine would break right back to 30 to level the set at 2-2. Del Potro was pushed to deuce in the seventh game, but managed to hang on to his serve for a 4-3 lead. That would prove to be vital as he was able to break Sousa's serve in the very next game to 15 for a 5-3 lead. He finished the set with as statement, holding to love to take the opener 6-3 in 46 minutes, winning 10 of the last 11 points and showing no ill effects of the emotional win over Djokovic the night before.
Sousa routs Del Potro in the second set to level the match
Perhaps Del Potro was starting to feel the effects of his famous win from the night before as Sousa broke for the first time in the fourth game, taking the Argentine's serve to 15 for a 3-1 lead. He was having no trouble holding his own serve, Del Potro not getting to deuce in any service game in the set. Sousa confirmed his superiority in the sixth game with a second break for an all but insurmountable 5-1 lead. When Del Potro hit a backhand long on set point, the Portuguese had comfortably wrapped it up 6-1 in 32 minutes, holding to 15 and levelling the match at one set all.
Del Potro breaks midway through the final set to claim the victory and advance to the third round
The final set started out calmly, Del Potro seeming to get his energy back after a lackluster second set. Sousa was also still holding well and through the first five games, he was matching the Argentine, but the sixth game proved decisive as Del Potro broke to take a 4-2 lead. After a hold to love for a 5-2 advantage, Del Potro had two match points on Sousa's serve, well saved by the Portuguese and a deserved hold. It only put off the inevitable, however as Del Potro served out the match to 15 and took the set 6-3 to advance to a third round match against Japan's Taro Daniel.
