MIAMI (AFP) – American Mackenzie McDonald disrupted Juan Martin del Potro’s latest injury comeback Friday with a three-set victory over the top-seeded Argentinian in the ATP Delray Beach Open quarterfinals.
McDonald, ranked 84th in the world, outlasted the fourth-ranked del Potro, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5) to notch his first victory over a top-five player and reach his first ATP Tour semi-final.
Del Potro, playing his first tournament since hobbling out of the Shanghai Masters with a broken right kneecap in October, took the court with his right knee more heavily bandaged than in his prior matches this week.
He was moving tentatively as he dropped the opening set, but still had plenty of pop on his serve and forehand as he managed to fend off two break points on the way to taking the second.
It would take a third-set tiebreaker to settle things, McDonald gaining the win with an overhead smash on his third match point.
McDonald, 23, next faces Moldova’s Radu Albot, who rallied from a set and a break down to beat fourth-seeded American Steve Johnson, 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5).
He’s also slated to defend his Indian Wells Masters title in March.
In other matches, US second seed John Isner blasted 24 aces in a 7-6 (7/2), 6-4 victory over eighth-seeded Adrian Mannarino.
