honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted at 7:59 a.m., Saturday, July 12, 2008

Tennis: Del Potro, Gasquet reach Stuttgart final

Associated Press

STUTTGART, Germany — Unseeded Juan Martin del Potro reached his first career ATP final, defeating Argentine compatriot Eduardo Schwank 6-2, 6-4 in the Mercedes Cup today to gain a matchup against Richard Gasquet of France.

Gasquet, seeded second and the highest-ranked player at No. 15, overcame Agustin Calleri, 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-3 to reach Sunday's final, his first this year.

Del Potro rode his serve against the eighth-seeded Schwank, who was in his first career ATP semifinal.

"Incredible, I can hardly believe it," Del Potro said after beating his third straight seeded opponent in the clay-court tournament. "It would be great to take the title back home."

Gasquet led 5-2 in the first set before Calleri came back to win the tiebreaker. Calleri, also from Argentina, has a sore right shoulder and wasn't able to rally again when he fell behind 5-2 in the second.

Previously this season, Gasquet had only made it to one quarterfinal. In his only match against del Potro, Gasquet won in two sets at last year's Masters event in Indian Wells.