By Chris Oddo | Wednesday March 23, 2016

 

Juan Martin del Potro saved both break points he faced en route to a straight-sets victory over Guido Pella in Miami.

Photo Source: Matthew Stockman/Getty

Juan Martin del Potro’s comeback continued in style on Wednesday night in Miami as the Argentinean eased past his compatriot Guido Pella, 6-0, 7-6(4) to set up an enticing second-round clash with Roger Federer.

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Del Potro hammered six aces and saved the only two break points he faced to win his fifth match since returning in February at Delray Beach.

Del Potro struck the ball solidly on serve and from the forehand side and mixed in mostly slice along with a sampling of two-handed backhands to keep Pella at bay.

After getting blown off the court in the first, Pella had his chances in the second set. The 25-year-old had the only break point of the stanza and was on serve late in the tiebreaker, but made back-to-back errors to give Del Potro the victory in 88 minutes.

The 27-year-old has now won seven straight against his compatriots dating back to a 2008 loss to David Nalbandian.

Del Potro owns a 5-15 lifetime record against Federer (5-10 on hard courts).

Federer, returning from knee surgery in late January, has not played a match since his loss to Novak Djokovic in the semifinals at Melbourne.

In other action on Wednesday at Crandon Park, 18-year-old American Taylor Fritz took out Italy’s Simon Bolelli in straight sets to set up a second-round encounter with David Ferrer. Fritz, who had managed only one tour-level victory before the season began, already has seven this season.

Another 18-year-old, Germany’s Alexander Zverev, was also victorious on Wednesday. He defeated American wild card Michael Mmoh, 7-6(3), 7-6(4), to improve to 10-7 on the season.

Great Britain’s Kyle Edmund upset Jiri Vesely in a third-set tiebreaker to set up a second-round test with Novak Djokovic, while wild card Andrey Rublev was knocked off by Inigo Cervantes of Spain, 6-4, 6-2. The highly touted Russian has only won one tour-level match this season after winning eight in 2015.

Mikhail Youzhny, who defeated Ernests Gulbis 6-4, 6-2, and Fernando Verdasco, who defeated Gilles Muller 7-6(2), 6-3, also advanced.

Seeds in the top half will begin to play on Friday.