Gritty Nadal stays strong to beat Del Potro

Rafa Nadal overcame injury problems and a tricky big-serving opponent to beat Juan Martin del Potro 7-6 3-6 7-6 6-4 and reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Monday.

Updated on: Jun 28, 2011, 01:52:42 IST

Reuters | By HT Correspondent, London

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Rafa Nadal overcame injury problems and a tricky big-serving opponent to beat Juan Martin del Potro 7-6 3-6 7-6 6-4 and reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals on Monday.

The top seed and defending champion had to be at his resilient best to see off the 2009 U.S. Open winner from Argentina, particularly after suffering a foot injury which caused a lengthy delay at the end of the first set.

Spaniard Nadal regrouped after the break to win the tiebreak 8-6 and although Del Potro won the second set Nadal's phenomenal mental strength always kept him in control of the match.

Del Potro suffered a heavy fall at 2-2 in the third set and went off-court for treatment on a hip injury.

Nadal broke Del Potro's serve for the first time in the fifth game of the fourth set and he clinched victory on his first match point to set up a quarter-final against American Mardy Fish.

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