Juan Martin del Potro’s Emotional Farewell to Tennis

Juan Martin del Potro, the former US Open champion, marked an emotional departure from professional tennis following a farewell exhibition match against Novak Djokovic in Argentina. He had previously defeated Roger Federer to secure the 2009 US Open title. The 36-year-old secured his only major championship in 2009; however, his career was significantly impacted by various injuries. In 2019, the Argentine sustained a fractured knee, an injury he states causes him daily pain, and he competed in his last official tournament in 2022. Nevertheless, he took part in ‘The Last Challenge’ held in Buenos Aires, facing his long-standing rival and close friend Djokovic. Approximately 15,000 spectators witnessed Del Potro’s victory with a score of 6-4 7-5. Del Potro became visibly emotional multiple times throughout the match and shared an extended embrace with Djokovic upon its conclusion. Subsequently, he placed his distinctive bandana, a staple of his career attire, on the center of the net. Djokovic commented, “I do not know a person who does not love Juan Martin del Potro.” He added, “Juan Martin is an example for all of us, and his greatest victory in life is being a wonderful person.” The Parque Roca stadium in Buenos Aires was filled to capacity for Del Potro’s farewell event. A video tribute featuring Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, and Gael Monfils was presented to the Argentine player. Del Potro defeated five-time defending champion Federer to claim the US Open title in 2009. He advanced to the final in New York once more in 2018, where he was defeated by Djokovic. Known as a popular player recognized for his powerful forehand, Del Potro secured two Olympic medals: a bronze in 2012 and a silver four years subsequent. Throughout his career, he amassed 22 ATP singles titles and achieved a career-high world ranking of number three. Nevertheless, a wrist injury hindered his career trajectory following his US Open triumph, prior to him sustaining a severe knee injury at Queen’s in 2019. Last week, Del Potro published a video on Instagram, external, addressing the enduring effects of injuries on his physique. He stated, “My daily life isn’t what I would like it to be. It’s very tough. There are moments where I have no more strength.” He continued, “I’m not indestructible. I have good things, bad things but most of the time I have to fake it and put on a good face, but many times I feel terrible.” Referring to the period after his 2019 surgery, he remarked, “Since that moment [after surgery in 2019], I was never able to climb stairs without pain. “I hurts when I drive, it hurts many times when I go to sleep. It’s been a never-ending nightmare.” On the ATP Tour, Djokovic and Del Potro competed against each other 20 times, with Djokovic holding a 16-4 advantage in their head-to-head record.