Juan Martin del Potro sets up Rafael Nadal showdown with delayed Wimbledon win
JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO came back from 5-2 down in the fourth-set tie-break to seal a Wimbledon fourth-round 7-6, 7-6, 5-7, 7-6 win over Gilles Simon and book a clash with Rafael Nadal.
The Argentinian No 6 seed had taken a two-set lead on Manic Monday out on No 2 Court, winning two consecutive tie-breaks to rack up a 2-0 lead after two hours and 20 minutes.
However, Simon hit back to take the third 7-5 and the two players agreed to suspend the match after three sets with no realistic prospect of playing more than a few games before the late faded entirely.
The pair returned on Tuesday, with the likes of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer coming to SW19 for a brief hit before a rest day, and Del Potro was broken first to give Simon a 3-1 lead.
But the Frenchman was immediately pegged back in a lengthy fifth game of the day as the big-serving Argentine battled to get back on level terms.
He soon did but could not put Simon away, spurning three match points on his own serve before being forced into a third tie-break.
Del Potro was not to be denied this time around though, taking his fifth match point overall to seal a win that lasted almost four-and-a-half hours in total.
And Simon admitted that it had been a tough turnaround on his body.
"We both preferred to come back today. It was then a bit easier," Simon said.
"The only problem is the recovery because it's a very long match we played already, 3 hours 15 minutes. So it was tough fight.
"The time is short. You finish, it's 9, back on court at 1.
"So you have a short night, few treatment, then go again.
"But in the end, I was in a good shape again."