Top seed Juan Martin Del Potro, playing twice in one day for the first time in his career, reached the quarter-finals of the Washington Open with two straight-set triumphs Thursday. The 2009 US Open winner, a two-time Washington champion, dispatched American Ryan Harrison 6-1, 7-5 in 70 minutes, then returned five hours later to eliminate Australian 14th seed Bernard Tomic 6-3, 6-3 in 69 minutes and advance at the combined ATP and WTA event.
"I feel good," Del Potro said. "I was training hard before I came here. During the night you feel much better. In the first match the sun was harder for me. In the night I move much better." Despite double duty on his first match day since losing the longest semi-final in Wimbledon history to Novak Djokovic after four hours and 43 minutes, the 24-year-old Argentine advanced to a last-eight meeting with South Africa's 21st-ranked Kevin Anderson, who ousted American Mardy Fish 7-6 (7/2), 6-1. "For the first day of the hardcourt season, I had a very good day," Del Potro said. "I beat two young players with good potential. I should play better all the matches."
Anderson, ranked 21st, broke Aussie James Duckworth in the only extra game he needed to win their rain-halted second-round match 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, and said he doubted world number seven Del Potro's double would have any impact. "I would be very surprised if two matches today would affect him for a match tomorrow," Anderson said. "Somebody with the level of fitness of the players out here, it won't be a problem." Del Potro has won all four prior matches with Anderson, the most recent last year at Basel.
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