Del Potro in winning return

Del Potro in winning return

Tennis Jan - 14 - 2015 , 01:12

Former U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro made a successful return to the tennis circuit yesterday, winning his opening match at the Sydney International.

Playing for the first time in 11 months after undergoing surgery to his left wrist, the Argentine beat Ukraine's Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-3 7-6(4).

Del Potro won the Sydney International last year and is among dozens of competing players fine-tuning their preparations for the Australian Open, starting next Monday.

Romania's Simona Halep was among the high-profile entrants but she pulled out yesterday, saying she was suffering from gastroenteritis.

The world number three told organisers she was unable to take her place after falling ill in China, where she won the Shenzhen Open.

Halep, runner-up at last year's French Open, said she expected to recover in time for the Australian Open, where she is among the favorites.

Halep was the second big name to pull out of Sydney in the last two days. Last Monday, U.S. Open runner-up Caroline Wozniacki withdrew due to a wrist injury after reaching the final of the Auckland Classic last Saturday.

Britain's Heather Watson upset American Sloane Stephens 6-3 6-1 at the Hobart International yesterday, another of the final warm-up events taking place before the first grand slam of 2015.