Del Potro rolls on at Roland Garros

Fifth seed Juan Martin Del Potro strolled into the semi-finals of the French Open with a straight-sets win over Spain's Tommy Robredo.

The Argentianian broke once in each of the first two sets before racing through the third to seal a 6-3 6-4 6-2 win and set up a mouthwatering last-four clash with second seed Roger Federer.

Del Potro was immediately on top, earning a pair of break points in game four.

He could not convert, but two games later went 40-0 up on the Robredo serve and and claimed the break as the Spaniard netted.

Del Potro closed out the set with a big serve but could have conceded an early advantage in the second as he somehow defended six break points in a game which went to seven deuces.

The frustration was palpable for the 16th seed and became even more so when he went wide to hand Del Potro a break at 3-2.

It was all the advantage Del Potro needed and, though Robredo stayed with him in the early stages of the third, the 20-year-old rattled off five consecutive games to seal his place in the last four.

Del Potro cruises into first Grand Slam semi-final

Fifth seed Juan Martin Del Potro fired down 14 aces on his way to a comfortable straight sets win over No16 seed Tommy Robredo, winning 6-3 6-4 6-2 in just over two hours to book his place in the final four of a major for the first time in his fledgling career. On paper, this looked to be a battle between youth and experience. 27-year-old Robredo had made the quarter-finals of the French four times – at two-year intervals in fact since 2003 – and was playing his 259th tie on clay, a surface on which he led the tour this year with 25 wins for only six defeats. His 20-year-old Argentinean opponent meanwhile is a rising star, the youngest man ever to finish the year in the top 10 (in 2008) and playing his third consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final. While hard courts are his preferred surface, he won on red dirt in Stuttgart and Kitzbuhel last year – the first half of a run of four straight titles which created an ATP record. Quick start No5 seed Del Potro was quicker out of the blocks, holding serve comfortably and pushing Robredo’s to deuce. The break came in the sixth game, and the 6’5” Argentinean served out comfortably to take the first set in a little over half an hour. The second stanza was a much tighter affair with Del Potro pushed to deuce on no fewer than seven occasions and facing six break points, but whenever he was in a hole, he either pulled out an ace or served big and followed up with a volley – an uncommon tactic for the 20-year-old but one which proved effective. He again broke mid-set and then served out for a 2-0 lead. Facing elimination, Robredo only managed to earn himself one break point in the third and final set, and the only time when Del Potro looked uncomfortable was when he served for the match. Four match points came and went, one negated by a double fault, as his first serve deserted him, but he finally closed out the match and booked his date with 13-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer in Friday’s semi-final.

Up close and personal with Juan Martin Del Potro

Here at Rolandgarros.com we know you love to get an insight into the real person behind the tennis star facade. Today we get up close and personal with No5 seed Juan Martin Del Potro, who reveals his love for Roger Federer’s game, football and music. What’s your favourite website? Hotmail. Which part of your game would you like to improve? I’d love to have Federer’s attacking game. What’s the last thing you do before going to sleep? I turn off my mobile phones. What puts you in a bad mood in the morning? Being woken up by people shouting. What’s your favourite thing for breakfast? Pastries, toast with jam and Nesquik. Who’s your favourite comedy actor? Jim Carrey and Guillermo Francella (an Argentinean comedian). What would be a luxury for you? Living in Tandil, surrounded by my friends and family. What do you have on your iPod? Maná, Shakira, U2 and Coldplay. What’s your song favourite song right now? “Mando una señal" by Maná. Who’s your ideal mixed doubles partner? Gabriela Sabatini. What’s the worst thing that could happen to you before a match? I can’t stand it when people touch my rackets. Who was your first love? My best female friend, when I was 16. When did you last crack up laughing? Yesterday, with my fitness coach. When did you last get angry? When River Plate equalised against Boca Juniors, in the last derby. What’s your favourite film? I really like series, such as Prison Break. Which actor would you choose to play you on screen? Brad Pitt. Who’s the nicest guy on tour? Zabaleta. And the nastiest? I can’t answer that – they’d kill me [laughs]! What’s the best concert you’ve seen? Maná and Madonna. Who’s your sporting idol? Michael Jordan. What’s your favourite sport outside tennis? Football. What’s your least favourite training exercise? Jogging.

Juan Martin Del Potro

Juan Martin Del Potro