JOIN USArgentine Juan Martin del Potro is determined to go one step further than his runner-up finish 12 months ago at the World Indoor Tournament as he reached the final with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov on Saturday.
Following the shock defeat of Roger Federer (3-6, 5-7) at the hands of Julien Benneteauon on Friday, second seed Del Potro is now favourite to add his name to the banner of champions wrapped around the Ahoy Arena by beating either Benneteau or Gilles Simon in Sunday’s showdown.
Del Potro has been in devastating form and reached the title match without dropping his serve all week.
From the moment the lanky Argentine broke his Bulgarian opponent’s service in the third game, when Dimitrov missed an easy volley, there seemed to be only one winner.
“My serve is really going well and that gives a lot of confidence for the rest of my game plan,” Del Potro told reporters.
“I’m satisfied with this win against a player with a great potential who can be top 10 of 20 in the near future.”
Despite his favourite status in the final, 2009 US Open champion Del Potro did not want to talk up his chances.
“It was a bit of surprise that Roger went out but it doesn’t please me as I don’t pay any attention to the other half of the draw before the final,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter who I play tomorrow, I just have to stick with my game plan and play it hard.”
Azarenka vs Serena
In Doha, defending champion Victoria Azarenka reached the Qatar Open final by sweeping aside Agnieszka Radwanska 6-3, 6-3.
Azarenka, who lost her top ranking to Serena Williams, has won 12 of her last 15 meetings with Radwanska and hasn’t lost to the fourth-ranked Pole in almost two years.
In the second semifinal, Williams got the better of Russia’s Maria Sharapova 6-3, 6-2 to set up a clash with Azarenka.