Del Potro survives tough comeback match

Juan Martin del Potro toiled for over three hours before subduing Feliciano Lopez in his first tour match for almost a year at the Sydney International on Monday. The giant Argentine, who downed Roger Federer in the 2009 US Open final, got just the workout he needed when he ousted the 32nd-ranked Spaniard, 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (11/9), 7-6 (7/3) in a first round match.
Del Potro has not played on the tour since the Australian Open last January, when he needed right wrist surgery and was sidelined for eight months. "I feel good for all my match, and finally I won a match after one year," he said. Del Potro, currently ranked at 258, will have a protected ranking of No 5 heading into next week's Australian Open in Melbourne because of his recovery time on the sidelines.
"It was good tennis before the Australian Open, but I still want to win here. I'm ready to fight again." Del Potro's next opponent will be Germany's Florian Mayer, who dealt with English wildcard James Ward in straight sets. Cypriot Baghdatis, 25, who lost to Federer in the 2006 Australian Open final, will be replaced in the Sydney men's draw by lucky loser Lukasz Kubot of Poland, who goes straight into the second round.