Del Potro, Tomic in opposite Sydney semis

Del Potro, Tomic in opposite Sydney semis

World number five Juan Martin del Potro recovered from losing the second set to beat Radek Stepanek and book a place in the semi-finals of the Sydney International on Thursday.

Juan Martin del Potro pictured during his Sydney International quarter-final match against Radek Stepanek on January 9, 2014

The Argentine, who boasts a huge forehand, downed the Czech Davis Cup hero 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to set up a last-four clash against Russia Dmitry Tursunov, who advanced with a 7-6 (7/5) 6-2 win against Uzbek Denis Istomin.

In the night quarters, Australian Bernard Tomic stayed on track to defend his Sydney title with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Ukraine's Alexandr Dolgopolov in just over an hour.

Tomic will now play another Ukrainian -- Sergiy Stakhovsky, who ended Australian Marinko Matosevic's run 6-4, 6-3.

Top seed del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion who has worked his way back up the rankings after wrist surgery, needed his big serve to get him home after Stepanek levelled the match.

"Radek improved his game in the second set. I was positive, waiting for my chance, and I played a fantastic two points in the third game of the third set to break his serve," del Potro said.

"Then I served OK. Just doing my job and I closed the match."

Del Potro, 25, broke in the 10th game to take the first set, but 35-year-old Stepanek, who has featured in the top 100 for the past 12 years, broke three times in the second set to square the match at one set apiece.

With his big serve and trademark crosscourt forehand, del Potro took charge in the decider and broke twice to seal the win.

"I like to play a couple of matches before a Grand Slam," said the Argentine. "Play in a good tournament like Sydney, it's a big opportunity for me and also train before a Grand Slam."

Del Potro has had tough workouts in his two matches in Sydney with his first against Frenchman Nicolas Mahut also going to three sets.

"Dmitry is a difficult opponent for me. He plays really flat and good shots down the line, backhands and forehands," he said.

"He's the past champion of this tournament. He likes these courts and the conditions."

In six previous encounters Tomic had only managed one win - a five-set slog in the second round of the 2012 Australian Open - but this time he made light work of the quirky Ukrainian.

"He's a bit like me but different. Not a lot of the players like playing him. He's very difficult to play," Tomic said of Dolgopolov.

"I knew as soon as I was playing him it was going to be a difficult match. I don't like playing him. I played the right tennis. I was very focused and very clear what I needed to do."

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT