Juan Martin Del Potro crushes Mikhail Kukushkin in singles rubber – Davis Cup 2011: ARG vs KAZ
Kicking off the quarterfinal round in the 2011 Davis Cup World Group on the 7th July 2011 was Team Argentina as it hosted Team Kazakhstan. The quarter-final was being played at Parque Roca, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The event consists of country teams with four players each. The quarter-final was played on outdoor classic clay court and consists of four singles rubbers and one doubles rubber.
The Argentineans, playing in their own garage, had already won the first rubber. In the first rubber, world No.43, Juan Monaco gave no chance to the Kazakhstani player Andrey Golubev defeating him in a straight sets 6-3, 6-0, 6-4
win. With the scores now in favor of the home side, they had their strong hold ready to demolish any remaining dreams of the Kazakhstani team.
Slowly returning to the top after his 2010, Juan Martin Del Potro has certainly proved that he is one of the top players in the game standing at world No.19. Winning 2 titles this season, the former world No. 4 was in his best
form to play against his Kazakhstani opponent, Mikhail Kukushkin.
Making his way through the table, the Argentine was in ferocious form as he had cleared his mark by winning the Estoril Open and the Delray Beach International Tennis Championship early this year. However, Del Potro did not take
the Kazakhstani as an easy kill.
Leading by one games to none, the Argentine team had their hopes high for clearing the next round of the quarter-final. Despite the fact that Del Potro was the favorite for this match, the World No. 67 had his sleeves rolled up
to give a tough time, perhaps even win the match.
Winning the toss, Del Potro took the advantage and started bombing the world No.67 in the first set. Though the Argentine did not serve any aces in the first set, he did not give any points on double faults either. With 93% points
winning on his first serve, Del Potro cruised through the first set. However, Mikhail managed to clinch only two games as the argentine took the set 6-2.
Improving throughout the match, the former World No.14 became stronger in the next set and gave no room to the Kazakhstani. Del Potro won the second set 6-1 and the third as well. The final score depicting a story of a devastation
that was rare to be seen, the Argentine ended his wrath upon the world No.67 in less than two and a half hour ending the final score to 6-2, 6-1, 6-2.
For the world No.19 it was yet another great victory, boosting his country to a 2-0 lead in the quarter-final round.
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