After retiring from tennis two years ago, Juan Martin del Potro has stated that he feels awful and will face Novak Djokovic in a final exhibition match.
In 2022, Del Potro faced Federico Delbonis in what were reportedly tearful scenes in Buenos Aires during his final official match at the Argentina Open. The Argentine, a former US Open champion and world No. 3 in tennis, has had numerous surgeries due to injury setbacks during his career.
After undergoing two more secret surgeries on his right knee, the 36-year-old has now disclosed in a long social media video that he had hoped to make a comeback, but that goal has not been accomplished.
Del Potro recently talked about it and said: “Nobody knew this, but the day after I played my last match against Delbonis, I took a flight to Switzerland, and I had my fifth knee surgery. Since then, I never made my surgeries public again, as I found some peace in the press conference before that match against Federico, saying it would probably be my last match. People stopped asking me constantly when I would come back and play again.”
He continued: “I did all this process secretly, and if it worked, I would announce that I would come back. I spent two months in Switzerland, in a village close to Basel, trying to rehabilitate, and it didn’t work. After two-and-a-half months, I had my sixth surgery. I went back to the USA. More rehab, over 100 injections everywhere. Infiltrations, daily suffering. It’s been my life since that match against Federico.”
Despite all of his recent setbacks, Del Potro has declared that he will play 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic in Buenos Aires next week.
He concluded: “I started my diet; I’m losing weight; I’m training. I want to arrive at that match in the best shape possible. It’s a match to say goodbye. Djokovic was very generous in accepting my invitation. I want to give him all the love possible. If at least for one, two, or three hours I can be in peace and happy on a tennis court, it will be beautiful.”
Novak Djokovic in 2024
Now ranked no.7, the Serbian played his last encounter on the 13th of October when he lost to world no.1 Jannik Sinner 7-6(4) 6-3 in the final in Shanghai (draw).
At present, during this year Djokovic achieved a composed 37-9 match record. Novak clinched 1 title in Paris. The Serbian reached the final in Wimbledon and Shanghai.
Novak Djokovic |
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