“The hardest decision”: Del Potro weighs retirement or comeback

FLASHBACK: Juan Martin Del Potro undergoes fourth knee surgery.

As he fights to return to the tennis courts after a long battle with injury, 33-year-old Juan Martin del Potro has revealed that he is considering retiring from the sport.

The Argentine, who has been struggling with a knee injury since 2019, recently delighted fans with the news that he had accepted wild cards into two South American events, the Argentina Open and Rio Open.

But in a press conference ahead of his home tournament, Del Potro stated that his comeback has not been going according to plan—leaving the 2009 US Open champion with “the most difficult decision” to make regarding his future in the sport.

“I think this is one of the most difficult messages that I’ve had to give, because as everyone knows, everyone is expecting a comeback to tennis. But it’s possible that it won’t be like this, it’s possible that this is more of a goodbye than a comeback,” Del Potro said, voice thick with emotion.

“I’ve been putting in too much effort in order to keep moving forward, and, well, the knee has me living a nightmare. For many years I’ve been trying different alternatives and treatments and doctors, different ways to solve this, and as of this day I haven’t achieved it.”

Injuries have long plagued Del Potro, who hails from Tandil, Argentina. The 6’6” right-hander struggled with a right wrist injury in 2010, and spent nearly two years away from the tour when it flared up again between 2014 and 2015, requiring surgery. His right knee woes began in 2018, and he has undergone various procedures to repair it. Del Potro has been on and off the tour ever since in attempts to heal and rehab the injury.

But despite the missed time, Del Potro remained one of the ATP Tour’s biggest threats when he was healthy, and he amassed an impressive resume highlighted by a run to the US Open title in 2009—defeating Rafael Nadal in the semifinals and Roger Federer in the championship match. He also lifted the Davis Cup trophy with Argentina in 2016, and took home an Olympic silver medal that same year.

Del Potro added that retirement is still only a “possibility”, and he will make a decision after the tournaments in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro. Either way, the 33-year-old said that if he’s going to say goodbye to the sport, it's going to happen on the tennis court.

“I never imagined myself retiring from tennis, or possibly retiring, if it wasn’t in a match or on the tennis court. So I didn’t see any better tournament than Buenos Aires to do so,” he said. “I think after these couple of weeks, God will say what is next in my future.

“What is clear is that today I have to choose: to live as a 33-year-old person who is trying to not be in pain, or [to keep living] as a professional athlete, which is the way I feel today. That’s why I haven’t given up yet.”

Del Potro is currently ranked world No. 757, and he achieved a career-high ranking of No. 3 in 2018. He will face countryman Federico Delbonis, the No. 6 seed, in his first match on Tuesday in Buenos Aires.