One of the most sensational comebacks in tennis history may be imminent: 493 days after his last match on the ATP tour, Argentinian Juan Martin del Potro indicated his return to the court – to finally say goodbye.
Actually, Juan Martin del Potro ended his glorious career long ago. With tears and thunderous applause from the spectators, the Argentinian made his last appearance in Buenos Aires in February 2022. At least that’s what everyone thought. But now the 34-year-old hinted at a sensational return to the pitch.
In an interview with the newspaper “Pagina 12”, the “Tower of Tandil” reported on comeback plans that had not been thought possible. He feels an internal desire to “step out onto the pitch one last time and play a worthy match,” said del Potro, who wants to implement this plan at the US Open in New York. The place of his greatest triumph.
Tennis chapter “not yet 100 percent closed”
The national hero reported that he had “not yet closed 100 percent of the tennis chapter”. “There are moments in a day that I still feel like a tennis player. As a retired player, I wouldn’t watch videos [von Matches] view. My social media channels still say ‘tennis player’,” said del Porto, who said he still “feels like an active athlete”.
However, the Argentine does not know whether he can put his plan into action. The organizers in Flushing Meadows would undoubtedly provide him with a wild card. But his own body still doesn’t play along. Del Potro is still suffering from the serious injuries that slowed him down at his wedding.
Del Potro: “I get up every day to make my wish come true”
“The pain affects my daily life,” admitted the 34-year-old: “Today I’m not feeling well because I want to watch Roland Garros and play myself. But I have to listen to my body and accept that it’s asking me for someone else way in life.”
His health condition is not yet compatible with his desire to return, the Argentine explained: “And if in a month my body is still telling me that I can’t do it and that I have to find another way to end my career , then I will listen. But I still get up every day to fulfill my wish.”
Del Potro with a top record against Federer, Nadal and Djokovic
Many fans will wish that del Potro can put his plan into action against all odds. The Argentine became a crowd favorite in many places and was one of the few to regularly win against Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. He defeated the Swiss seven times, the Spaniard six times and the Serb four times. A record that no other player can match in this form.
“I’ve never had a problem beating the best. My problem was healing my wrist. […] My toughest opponent was my body. I was never afraid to play against the best,” said del Potro, who knows exactly why Federer, Nadal and Djokovic struggled against him: “I knew I had a weapon they didn’t like: my powerful game and the quick punches. They didn’t.”
Resignation was already an issue in 2016
Del Potro described his appearance at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio as one of the most important turning points in his career. After three surgeries, he fell to 1042 in the world rankings before the tournament started. Before his return he had many doubts.
“Everyone was looking at me. There was pressure from the sponsors and I didn’t know if I could be a top ten player again. Rio was the decisive tournament. I told myself that if things didn’t go well, I’d step down. And then I got Djokovic drawn in the first round,” the Argentine recalled.
Before his match against the Serbs, he was stuck in the elevator for three hours. “The handball players saved me. Then I got out and beat Djokovic. That revitalized my career. I got silver and won the Davis Cup at the end of the year,” del Potro looked back at the year, which was already his last the tour could have been.