ATP Estoril Sunday Preview

Juan Martin del Potro vs. Fernando Verdasco

Two of the ATP World Tour’s brightest stars on the rise again: one a former Top 10 player, one a former Top 5 player, will square off on Sunday afternoon in the final of the Estoril Open.

Former World No. 4, Juan Martin del Potro has been reviving his world-beating results for more than two months now, following a wrist injury-marred 2010 season. Since ranking No. 484 on February 7, del Potro has won 22 of 26 matches, a stretch that includes one title at Delray Beach, three semi-finals at San Jose, Memphis and Indian Wells, and another final here in Estoril. This is his first clay court tournament since a semi-final run at Roland Garros in June 2009, and after being pushed to three sets by a qualifier in his first match he hasn’t lost a set in his next three matches. He is 8-3 in ATP World Tour finals (including 2-0 on clay courts).

Former World No. 7, Fernando Verdasco has revived his season on Portuguese clay this week, having lost opening matches at four of his last five tournaments (losing his second match at the other one) and dipping down to No. 15 in the world this week, his lowest ranking since the Australian Open fortnight in 2009. The No. 2 seed here, he snapped out of his slump with an opening round victory over Frederico Gil (although he almost squandered a 61 51 lead), then beat No. 7 seed Kevin Anderson in the quarter-finals and No. 5 seed Milos Raonic in the semi-finals. He is 5-9 in ATP World Tour finals (including 3-4 on clay courts).

The two finalists have played 3 times before, all on hard courts (once in a Challenger). They are tied 1-1 on the ATP World Tour. Del Potro won their first 2 meetings in third set tie-breaks, first at a Challenger event in 2006 and second at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in 2009. In their only meeting since del Potro’s injury, Verdasco won 64 64 in the semi-finals of San Jose in February.

The winner of Estoril Open will take 72,600 € and 250 South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking points and the Runner-up will win 38,200 € and 150 South African Airways 2011 ATP Ranking points.