Juan Martin Del Potro routs Joao Sousa to sail into last-16 at Paris Masters

The 13th-seeded Del Potro needed just an hour and two minutes to register a 6-2, 6-2 win over the Portuguese.

File photo of Juan Martin del Potro (IANS)

Paris: Argentine Juan Martin del Potro routed Portugal`s Joao Sousa 6-2, 6-2 to book a place in the Paris Masters round of 16.

The 13th-seeded Del Potro needed just an hour and two minutes on Wednesday evening to earn his third career win over Sousa in as many matches, reports Efe news agency.

Sousa was broken four times throughout the contest and struggled in particular when missing his first serve, winning just three of 18 second-serve points.

The former world No.4 handily won the first set after racing out to a 4-0 lead and then continued that momentum into the second set, earning a routine victory that boosts his hopes of qualifying for this month`s ATP Finals in London, tennis` elite year-end event.

The Argentine on Thursday will take on the Netherlands` Robin Haase, who upset fourth-seeded German Alexander Zverev 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.

Frenchman Julien Benneteau, meanwhile, pulled off a 2-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 upset of 11th-seeded compatriot and 2008 champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, whose game went south after he lost the second set.

Benneteau will square off in Thursday`s round of 16 against either compatriot Adrian Mannarino or seventh-seeded Belgian David Goffin.