Devvarman Upsets Del Potro in Dubai

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Feb. 25, 2014

DUBAI, U.A.E. – Former Virginia men’s tennis player Somdev Devvarman (Class of 2008) posted the highest-ranked win of his career, downing world No. 5 Juan Martin Del Potro in the first round of the Dubai Duty Free Championships. Devvarman topped Del Potro 7-6(3), ret. to advance to the second round of the ATP 500 event.

Devvarman rallied from down 0-2 early and saved several set points to force a tiebreaker, which he won 7-3. Following the completion of the first set, Del Potro took a medical timeout for an injury to his left wrist and chose to retire from the match. Devvarman, ranked No. 78 in the world this week, his highest in two years, will play world No. 137 Malek Jaziri of Tunisia in the second round.

The victory was not only Devvarman’s first over a top-10 player, but it was his first career win over a Grand Slam Champion. His previous career-best win was a victory over then-No. 15 Marin Cilic at the 2009 Legg Mason Tennis Championships in Washington, D.C.