Sun Jul 20 11:25:30 2008

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Del Potro captures second straight ATP title

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Kitzbuhel, Austria (Sports Network) - Argentine Juan Martin del Potro easily discarded crowd favorite Jurgen Melzer in Sunday's final at the Austrian Open. The 19-year-old Del Potro, who won his first-ever title last week in Stuttgart, captured his second straight ATP singles title.

The seventh-seeded del Potro handled sixth-seeded Melzer 6-2, 6-1 in just 59 minutes. Del Potro becomes just the second player this season to win back-to- back ATP tournaments. World No. 2 Rafael Nadal (Monte-Carlo - Barcelona; Roland Garros - Queen's Club) is the only other player that has done so this year.

The Tandil resident also becomes the fourth consecutive Argentine winner at Kitzbuhel, joining Juan Monaco (2007), Agustin Calleri ('06) and Gaston Gaudio ('05). Guillermo Coria's victory in 2003 makes del Potro the fifth Argentine winner in the past six years.

Del Potro, making his event debut in Kitzbuhel, capitalized on five of 10 break point opportunities against Melzer, breaking twice in the first set and three times in the second, and dropped just six points on serve throughout the match.

The world No. 44 del Potro has now won his last 10 matches. He hasn't tasted defeat since a second-round setback to Stanislas Wawrinka at Wimbledon.

The Argentine improved his season record to 19-8. He also improves to 3-0 lifetime against the 27-year-old Melzer, beating him in straight sets at the 2007 U.S. Open and winning a grueling five-setter in a first-round Davis Cup tie last year.

Melzer falls to a dismal 1-6 lifetime in ATP singles finals, capturing his lone title at Bucharest in 2006.

The Vienna native is the first Austrian to reach the Kitzbuhel singles final since Thomas Muster finished runner-up to Albert Costa in 1995. Melzer was bidding to become the first home champion since Musters triumph in 1993.

The World No. 66 Melzer slips to 18-18 for the season. He has now lost his past 14 of 16 matches against Argentine opponents.

Del Potro collected $185,000 with the win.