DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Juan Martin del Potro is inching ever closer to the level of the top-five player he was three years ago.
The Argentine player reached his first ATP semifinal in more than two years, beating fifth-seeded Jeremy Chardy of France 6-2, 6-3 on Friday night in the Delray Beach Open.
Del Potro, once ranked No. 4 in the world but now No. 1,041 because of an 11-month layoff following two surgeries on his left wrist last year, will play unseeded American Sam Querrey in the semifinals.
In a sign of his growing confidence, del Potro relied more heavily on his two-handed backhand rather than the more dependable one-handed slice he used in his first two matches.