Del Potro mauls Pella on French Open comeback

Paris - Juan Martin del Potro made a triumphant return to the French Open on Tuesday, defeating compatriot Guido Pella in his first match at Roland Garros since 2012. 

The injury-plagued Argentine, who sat out this year's Australian Open over fitness concerns, blitzed Pella 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 to reach the second round. 

Del Potro, seeded 29th, will face Nicolas Almagro or Marcos Baghdatis next and is a potential third-round opponent for world number one Andy Murray. 

His best result in Paris came in 2009 when he lost to eventual champion Roger Federer in the semi-finals, the same year Del Potro beat the Swiss to lift the US Open title.

French Open results on Tuesday, the third day of the 2017 tournament at Roland Garros (x denotes seeding):

Men
1st rd


Juan Martn Del Potro (ARG x29) bt Guido Pella (ARG) 6-2, 6-1, 6-4

Denis Istomin (UZB) bt Ernesto Escobedo (USA) 7-6 (7/3), 6-3, 6-4

Nick Kyrgios (AUS x18) bt Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3


Women
1st rd

Elina Svitolina (UKR x5) bt Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) 6-4, 6-3

Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) bt Mona Barthel (GER) 6-0, 6-4

Sorana Cirstea (ROM) bt Peng Shuai (CHN) 6-3, 6-1

Carla Surez (ESP x21) bt Maria Sakkari (GRE) 6-4, 6-2

Taylor Townsend (USA) bt Miyu Kato (JPN) 6-4, 6-0