By Chris Oddo | Friday March 2, 2018
Juan Martin del Potro eased past Alexander Zverev to reach the Abierto Mexicano Telcel final. Kevin Anderson is next.
Photo Source: Guillermo Sanchez
Juan Martin del Potro notched his second consecutive win over a Top 10 opponent on Friday night in Acapulco, and he hopes to make it three on Saturday.
The World No.9 took down Alexander Zverev, 6-4, 6-2 to reach his second final of 2018 and set up a final with No.8-ranked Kevin Anderson.
Del Potro saved the only break point he faced and won 15 of 23 second serve points against the 20-year-old German, breaking three times on seven opportunities.
Photo credit: Guillermo Sanchez
The 27-year-old established early leads in both sets and was only threatened mid-way through the second set when Zverev earned a break point and was deep into a rally when a linesman’s call forced the pair to play a let. Two big serves later and Del Potro was out of trouble.
The Argentine would never be threatened again.
Photo credit: Guillermo Sanchez
Del Potro will bid to claim three Top 10 wins in succession for the first time since 2016, when he notched wins over Stan Wawrinka (Wimbledon), Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal (Olympics).
He owns a 6-0 record over Anderson, but the pair will meet for the first time with both ranked inside the Top 10.
Anderson needed three sets to dispatch rising American Jared Donaldson, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. The 2014 Acapulco runner-up will bid for is 5th ATP title, while Del Potro will bid for career title No.21.
Zverev suffered a left knee injury in the fifth game of the opening set and stopped the game at deuce to have trainers look at it. The German had the knee taped and continued with the match without suffering any complications.
He was playing his first semifinal of 2018, after reaching eight in 2017.