Del Potro Moves Into Basel QFs; Youzhny Cruises

© Swiss Indoors BaselJuan Martin del Potro broke Brian Baker four times to win their second-round meeting.

Second seed Juan Martin del Potro beat American Brian Baker 7-5, 6-1 in 78 minutes on Thursday at the Swiss Indoors Basel to remain on course for his 13th tour-level title. Del Potro fired 10 aces and did not face a break point against the American in their first FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting.

“The beginning was tough for me,” said del Potro. “He played much better than me in the first couple games. He was aggressive, trying to hit a fast ball. In the second set, I found a rhythm in the match and my game started to be more aggressive.

“The tournament is amazing. The crowd is lovely with me and cheering for me all the time. I’m trying to go far in this tournament and I’m looking forward to my next match.”

Del Potro Seals Berth To Season Finale

The 24-year-old Argentinean has a 14-1 record indoors this year and is closing on his 60th match win (59-14). Last week, he won the Erste Bank Open title in Vienna (d. Zemlja) to add to earlier season triumphs in Marseille (d. Llodra) and Estoril (d. Gasquet). He is playing in Basel for the first time since 2008 when he reached the semi-finals (l. to Nalbandian).

Del Potro will next take on Kevin Anderson, who topped Marinko Matosevic 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3. Anderson hit 17 aces to beat the Australian for the second time this year, having defeated Matosevic to win the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships trophy.

France’s Benoit Paire will face World No. 1 and five-time champion Roger Federer in the quarter-finals. Paire won 71 per cent of his service points and hit six aces to beat Polish qualifier Lukasz Kubot 6-4, 6-4 in 87 minutes.

Sixth seed Mikhail Youzhny recorded the 399th match win of his career when he defeated Matthew Ebden of Australia 6-3, 6-1 in one hour. Youzhny will now look to reach his fourth ATP World Tour semi-final (or better) this year.

World No. 101 Paul-Henri Mathieu, a wild card entry, battled past former World No. 3 Nikolay Davydenko 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-4 in two hours and 17 minutes. Davydenko was making his first Basel appearance in 10 years.

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