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Del Potro wins comeback match at Sydney International after 10-month wrist injury layoff

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Ekaterina Makarova of Russia plays a shot to Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain during their match at the Sydney International tennis tournament in Sydney, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft) (The Associated Press)

Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain plays a shot to Ekaterina Makarova of Russia during their match at the Sydney International tennis tournament in Sydney, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft) (The Associated Press)

Juan Martin Del Potro launched his comeback from a serious wrist injury Tuesday with a convincing 6-3, 7-6 (4) win over Sergiy Stakhovsky in the first round of the Sydney International.

The former U.S. Open champion is currently ranked No. 338 after undergoing surgery on his left wrist last year and missing more than 10 months on tour.

He needed a wild card to enter the main draw in Sydney, where he's the defending champion, but looked fit and sharp in beating 69th-ranked Stakhovsky in 88 minutes. He will face top-seeded Fabio Fognini in the second round.

Del Potro says he still has pain in the wrist, which hampers his backhand, but he looked unimpeded Tuesday as he served seven aces and never faced a break point.