Del Potro returns with a win after five years away from Roland Garros
Juan Martin del Potro made a winning return to Roland Garros after five years away, beating fellow Argentinian Guido Pella in straight sets.
Del Potro made the semi-finals in 2009 and the last eight in 2012 - losing five-setters to Roger Federer on each occasion - before his career was hampered by serious wrist injuries.
His comeback to the upper echelons of the game continued with a comfortable 6-2 6-1 6-4 triumph over his Davis Cup-winning team-mate on Tuesday.
The death of Del Potro's grandfather, which prompted his withdrawal at Estoril, left him short of practice on dirt courts, but a run to the Rome quarter-finals suggests the 2009 US Open champion could get amongst the frontrunners over the coming fortnight.
It's been a long five years...
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 30, 2017
First win in Paris for @delpotrojuan since 2012!
Tops Pella 6-2 6-1 6-4 #RG17 pic.twitter.com/3suEcW8ez5
And, though shoulder and back injuries hampered his warm-up in Lyon, Del Potro appeared back to his best on Court 6 at Roland Garros.
In a dominant display, the 29th seed fired down 13 aces and faced not a single break point in under two hours on court, celebrating his victory by pointing to the sky and sharing a joke with his compatriot.