Juan Martin Del Potro, world number eight, who won a title earlier this month in Acapulco, Mexico, fended off a stern challenge from Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win
Juan Martin Del Potro. Pic/AFP
Former US Open champ Juan Martin Del Potro stepped up his bid for a second straight tournament victory as he clinched a place in the semi-finals of the ATP Indian Wells Masters on Friday. The world number eight, who won a title earlier this month in Acapulco, Mexico, fended off a stern challenge from Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win. For Del Potro, reaching the semis is another feather in the cap of his comeback from injuries as he is back in the top 10 for the first time since 2014. "It wasn't an easy match as everyone could see," the 2009 US Open champion said.
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"I was waiting for my chance to find my game and I did after the first set. "And then my game improved and I found my returns. "I played more aggressive with my two handed backhand and I played more down the line." In Saturday's semi-final, Del Potro will face Canadian Milos Raonic who has also been kept off the court for long periods of time due to injuries. The 29-year-old Del Potro improved to 15-3 on the season as he is looking to get back into the Indian Wells final for the first time since 2013, when he lost to Rafael Nadal.
Del Potro dropped to No. 1,045 in the world before beginning his comeback from three left wrist surgeries in 2016. "But thank God I'm here and healthy," he said. "I'm playing tennis again. I'm in the top 10 again. I have too much love from the crowd, for my fans, and I'm doing this because I love it." Del Potro hit five aces, had no double faults and won 75 percent of his first-serve points against world No. 37 Kohlschreiber. Del Potro said his back is giving him some trouble but he can still play with it. "All my body feels tight," he said. "But this is the last effort of the weekend, and I'm in the semi-finals, and I'm trying to keep winning. "It's going to be a really tough, tough match tomorrow. But after that my body will have a few days to recover and I will need it."
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