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Del Potro, playing his first match since losing
to Novak Djokovic in the U.S. Open final last month, looked in
fine form as he fired 10 aces and won 86 percent of points on
his first serve to seal victory in 90 minutes.
The 30-year-old Argentine can qualify for next month's ATP
Finals in London for the first time since 2013 if he reaches the
final in Beijing. He plays Russia's Karen Khachanov next.
Rafael Nadal, Djokovic and Roger Federer have secured their
places in the season-ending tournament.
Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov, a finalist in Beijing two years ago,
began his campaign with a solid 7-5 6-3 victory over American
Tennys Sandgren.
"It's never easy when you've never played against a guy," said
world number eight Dimitrov, who next faces Serbia's Dusan
Lajovic.
"So it took me quite a few games to kind of get in a rhythm, see
what kind of game plan he had (and) just try to get comfortable
in the match."
Spain's Fernando Verdasco was made to work hard before beating
France's Gael Monfils 2-6 7-6(3) 7-6(5) in two hours and 23
minutes.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru, editing by Ed
Osmond)
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