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  • Del Potro into Shanghai contention despite Tokyo final loss

    10/6/08 9:26 AM | Johan Lindahl
    - Tomas Berdych has joined Andy Murray as the only pair of players to defeat Juan Martin Del Potro in the last three months as the Argentine's run of form was sabotaged by an upset stomach in Tokyo.

    Berdych followed up on his semi-final upset of Andy Roddick by winning the Japan Open title against an under-the-weather Del Potro 6-1, 6-4. It was only the second loss in the last 31 matches for the Argentine after losing to Murray in the US Open quarter-finals.

    Del Potro was hardly at full-strength, requiring a toilet break after the fifth game and dropping the first set in just over 20 minutes. Berdych won his fourth career title and first since Halle in 2007.

    Del Potro had been looking for the fifth ATP trophy in six events dating back to Stuttgart in July.

    Del Potro admitted it was not his day on court. "I took some medicine and I started playing a little bit better but it was too late - I didn't have any chance today."

    The 20-year-old improved to ninth in the race for a first-time place in the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai in four weeks, looking to displace James Blake with a good showing this week in Vienna.

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