Del Potro opens with comeback win against Gasquet

Gasquet, appearing at the season finale for the first time since 2007 after winning three ATP titles this year, dipped into his box of tricks in the first set tiebreak against Del Potro.

A swish of his racket sent a backhand winner darting past the flat-footed Argentine for a 5-3 lead and a rifled forehand return gave him a set point which he clinched with a rolled forehand that angled away into the courtside shadows.

World number five Del Potro, at 25 the youngest in the draw, gradually found his range and the match swung his way in the fourth game of the second set when Gasquet lost a 40-0 lead to drop serve after the Argentine fired two pile-driving forehands.

Gasquet threatened to break back when Del Potro served at 5-3 but, faced with an easy smash which would have put him up 15-40, the Frenchman dumped the ball into the bottom of the net.

Gasquet will probably need to beat either Djokovic or Federer to keep alive his hopes of making the semi-finals, but even in defeat he said there were reasons to be cheerful.

"Yeah, I think I took a little confidence after this match," he told reporters. "Of course, I'm a little bit disappointed because I could have won that match. I was really close to winning.

"Now I need to play two big players again, so it's very difficult. Masters Cup, the level is very high. So every match is a final for me."