Juan Martín del Potro is about to retire from tennis: “Maybe it’s a farewell more than a return”

Juan Martín del Potro has given shocking news this Saturday during a press conference on the occasion of the Argentina Open: he is closer to retirement. The athlete, who will return to the courts after two and a half years away from the activity, stated that the knee injury prevents him from competing as he would like.

“I have been feeling it for a long time, imagining it. It is one of the most difficult messages that I have to transmit. Everyone expects him to return to tennis, possibly it will not be like that and perhaps it will be a farewell more than a return “expressed the ‘Tower of Tandil’, between tears, to all those present.

Immediately, the 33-year-old Olympic medalist explained the reason for making this decision. “I have been making too much effort to be able to move on. The knee has me living a nightmare. For many years I have tried alternatives, treatments, doctors, different ways to solve it and to this day I have not succeeded “.

Despite the inconvenience, ‘Delpo’ chose to appear at the Argentina Open and, after the draw, he was paired against Federico Delbonis. “I never imagined retiring from tennis if it wasn’t playing, on a court. So I couldn’t find a better tournament than the one in Buenos Aires to be able to do it “he pointed out and will also say present in Rio de Janeiro, where he received a special invitation.

“I couldn’t ask for another rival to play other than ‘Fede’, together we shared the most beautiful days of our tennis lives. Possibly Tuesday another of the unforgettable days in my life. That he is here makes me happy”he said of the clash against Delbonis, with whom he won the Davis Cup title in 2016.

“Unfortunately I had to deal with many injuries, but I have fulfilled all my dreams with tennis, I have achieved most of the things I wanted to achieve. Maybe I won’t have a miraculous return to tennis like the ones I always had, possibly another decision in my career is just around the corner because of how my leg feels and how difficult it is for me.”added the man from Tandil.

Later, Del Potro pointed out that more specialists will continue to visit: “Perhaps someone will tell me ‘Maybe your problem is somewhere else’, as happened with (Andy) Murray, who was able to play again, or with Pablo Andújar, who is my friend and had five operations, or many other tennis players who they’ve been through this. One day things change and everything happens to be for the better”.

Of course, in closing, number 757 reiterated: “What I am clear about is that today I have to choose to live as a 33-year-old person, trying not to have pain and not as a professional athlete, which to this day I feel and that is why I never lowered my arms. It is a difficult decision”.