Del Potro stays in race to London with Vienna win

VIENNA: Juan Martin del Potro spoiled the day for Slovenian tennis but kept his own hopes of qualifying for the ATP year-end finals alive with 7-5, 6-3 defeat of qualifier Grega Zemlja on Sunday to win the Austrian Open.

The Argentine who had missed a month of play after Davis Cup due to a right wrist injury, prevented Zamlja from becoming the first Slovenian to win an ATP title.

Del Potro stands provisional seventh in the points race for one of three remaining positions in the ATP World Tour Finals starting on November 5 in London. He will continue his quest next week in Basle as second seed behind Roger Federer at the Swiss Indoors.

The South American claimed his title in Vienna on his third try after losing the 2011 final. He was forced to quit before his first match during his debut in 2008 and now stands 8-1 in the Austrian capital.

Zemlja had already set several personal bests during his unexpected run this week, beating Tommy Haas for a first top 20 win, reaching the final over Janko Tipsarevic for a first top 10 victory and raising his level consistently throughout the best week of his career.

Del Potro, the top seed, spent more than an hour winning the first set against the number 70 playing in the first final of his career and finished the job on his first match point after one hour 41 minutes.

Del Potro added Vienna to trophies claimed this season in Marseille and Estoril.

He now owns 12 titles from 17 finals.

The South American who rained down ten aces went down a break of serve in the opening set as Zemlja took a 4-2 lead. But that was quickly brought under control in the eighth game for 4-4 as Del Potro began taking command.

Prior to Vienna, the 26-year-old Zemlja, who trains in Austria, had never reached even a quarter-final at ATP level.

Zemlja almost didn't play this tournament. (AFP)