Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro overcame 17 aces from Marcos Baghdatis to post a 4-6 6-4 6-3 victory for a place in the second round of the Japan Open on Tuesday as rain forced the showcase court roof to be closed.
The main home excitement was generated by defending champion Kei Nishikori as the fighting fourth seed negotiated his way out of danger to rally past Austrian Juergen Melzer 6-7 7-5 6-2.
Melzer led 5-2 in the second set and had a chance to serve out the victory, lost his nerve as Nishikori recovered to the roars of his public.
The seed levelled the sets at one apiece before dominating in the third to go through and face Spain’s Feliciano Lopez, who put Tatsuma Ito of Japan 4-6 7-5 6-3.
Del Potro, the top seed and 2008 runner-up, said he has recovered from wrist problems after not having played since losing a five-setter in the second round of the US Open to Australian Lleyton Hewitt.
“I had a month at home to heal and practice,” said Del Potro. “I feel good with my fitness and my wrist is fine, I can serve at almost 100 per cent,
“This is a tough time of the season for us near the end of another long year.”
After reaching the Tokyo final five years ago, Del Potro twice returned to the capital, only to lose in first rounds in 2009 and in 2010, his last appearance.
The victory in just over two hours sends the Argentinian into a countryman battle with Carlos Berlocq, who earned his 7-6 6-2 defeat of Pablo Cuevas before the rain began.
Del Potro improved to 26-12 on the season; he struck six aces and broke three times.
The 25-year-old said that getting past the dangerous Baghdatis was an accomplishment in itself: “No one wants to play Marcos in the first round. I know his game and his potential. I played very well in the important moments.
“My serve also worked very well and I didn’t have a single double-fault. We both played at a very high level, I was able to break late and close it out with my serve. It’s important for me to win these kind of matches.”
As weather cleared, outdoor matches resumed, with Horacio Zeballos putting a third Argentine into the second round as he beat American qualifier Ryan Harrison 6-1 4-6 6-4.
Slovak lucky loser Lukas Lacko upset South African seventh seed Kevin Anderson 6-4 7-6.