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By Alberto Amalfi | Wednesday, October 26, 2016

 
Juan Martin del Potro

Two-time Basel champion Juan Del Potro defeated Robin Haase, 6-3, 6-4, in his Basel opener, extending his winning streak to six matches.

Photo credit: Shanghai Rolex Masters

Streaking Stockholm champion Juan Martin del Potro extended his winning ways in Basel.

Del Potro defeated Robin Haase, 6-3, 6-4, in his Basel opener, extending his winning streak to six matches.

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On Sunday, del Potro swept Jack Sock to capture his first ATP title in 33 months. The Olympic silver medalist has not surrendered a set since his three-set loss to David Goffin in Shanghai earlier this month.

Coincidentally, the fifth-seeded Goffin is del Potro's next opponent.

Haase, who pushed del Potro to four sets in their lone prior meeting at the 2012 Wimbledon, took a tumble to the court and received treatment for an apparent leg of hip injury.

Del Potro converted his third break of the second set for a 5-4 advantage.

Sliding his sixth ace brought del Potro to triple match point. When Haase put a forehand return into the bottom of the net, del Potro wrapped up the win in one hour, 21 minutes. A two-time Basel champion in 2012-13, del Potro raised his record to 17-3 at Roger Federer's hometown tournament.

Kei Nishikori's sniper return game is one of his strengths. Today, Nishikori served with authority surrendering just six points on his first serve in subduing Paolo Lorenzi 7-6 (3), 6-2.

Playing just his second tournament since his run to the US Open semifinals, the third-seeded Japanese is the first man through to the Basel quarterfinals. Nishikori, who has been hampered by a hip issue that forced him out of Shanghai, is aiming for his eighth semifinal of the season.

Three days after out-dueling Fabio Fognini to take the Moscow title, Pablo Carreño Busta continued his winning ways with a 7-5, 6-3, triumph over Fernando Verdasco in an all-Spanish first-rounder.

The 32nd-ranked Spaniard will face fourth-seeded Marin Cilic for the first time next. Carreño Busta is riding a six-match winning streak.

No. 8-seeded Jack Sock did not drop serve powering past Adrian Mannarino, 6-3, 6-3, in 68 minutes. Sock, who was runner-up to Juan Martin del Potro in Sunday's Stockholm Open final, will face 30-year-old Spanish veteran Marcel Granollers for the first time with a trip to the last eight on the line.

Qualifier Mischa Zverev continued his strong form. Zverev zapped 12 aces in a 7-6 (4), 6-0 decision over 18-year-old American Taylor Fritz.




Zverev, whose younger brother Alexander Zverev pulled the plug on his season after last week's Stockholm event, has won eight of his last nine matches. The 72nd-ranked German will play Argentine Guido Pella for a quarterfinal spot.

Pella led Richard Gasquet, 6-2, 2-1, when the seventh-seeded Frenchman retired with injury. Gasquet defeated 77th-ranked Argentine Diego Schwartzman in Sunday's Antwerp final to capture his 14th career title.


 

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