Things have gone from bad to worse for Juan Martin del Potro, the U.S. Open men's singles titleholder who hasn't hit a ball in an official match since he was beaten by Marin Cilic at the Australian Open in January. As I write this, del Potro is undergoing surgery on his right wrist - something to do with his "ulnar extensor tendon." The operation is being performed at the famed Mayo clinic in Rochester, Minn.
That's a long way from the original reports that he was suffering from tendinitis, for which the most reliable cure has always been rest.
The news comes to us in a slightly unusual fashion, via a signed "letter" from Juan Martin del Potro to his fans, released through the slightly less than magisterial medium of a rock and pop radio show. Delpo wrote that he had hoped to cure his wrist with non-invasive therapies, but turned to the knife when his wrist did not respond to any of them. Now, he's facing the prospect of playing no competitive tennis right up to - and perhaps beyond - the U.S. Open.
Delpo's letter also contained this rather cryptic paragraph:
This "what don't exist" bit is apparently a reference to rumors that del Potro is suffering from "panic attacks" and may be under the care of, or has consulted with, therapists. One thing that troubles me is the obtuse way del Potro has handled these rumors. I can see where he wouldn't want to advance misinformation by citing it, but I'm not convinced that leaving questions - even a basic one, like, What the hail is he talking about? - to fester is the better approach. I guess I've always been in the camp that believes you ought to tackle accusations, rumors, falsehoods and innuendo head-on, in as simple, clear, and direct way as possible.
However, you don't leave yourself much wiggle room if you take that approach, and that's a problem for people who are lying, or afraid to get caught in a lie, even though a sufficiently clever prevaricator can sometimes find ways around that one, too. Who can forget former US President Bill Clinton's immortal line: I did not have sexual relations with that woman. . .
Well, technically speaking. . .
In any event, I'm not accusing Delpo of hiding or lying about anything; I just believe that the opacity here is unnecessary and counter-productive (if we take del Potro's comments at face value), and those with a vested stake larger than mine (like the press corps of Argentina) in this business aren't apt to accept real or imagined evasions. As soon as someone is suspected of trafficking in them, things begin to snowball - rightly or wrongly. Cruise around the Internet and you'll find people raising all sorts of red flags: Delpos representatives have issued conflicting reports on he severity of his injury; if he was so hurt, why did he enter Miami - only to pull out? If he's not incapacitated, why isn't he playing? Guys who have hit with him say his shots sting (them, not Delpo) as much as ever.
Most of the information about Juan Martin is filtered through his family; his father Daniel, the oracle of Delpo, is a veterinarian by profession. I'm familiar with the value of family and old friends, but sometimes a more formal, disciplined, media-savvy approach may be a better course. It's not that Delpo lacks professionals who (ostensibly) look out for his interests; on the contrary, he may have too many of them, which certainly would account for some of the mixed signals, and conflicting statements that the media sleuths now puzzle over. Such is life for the first male Grand Slam singles title winner from tennis power Argentina since Gaston Gaudio.
I don't have any inside information to offer here, only opinion. It does seem a bit odd that three full months have passed since Delpo announced his injury, and that it took him that long to figure out that he needed to undergo surgery. But then, when I had heel spurs (on both heels, at different times), I suffered through a few months of non-invasive therapies before I bit the bullet and submitted to surgery. Ninety per cent of those who suffer from heel spurs (plantar fasciitis) are cured via aggressive therapy - I was in the unfortunate 10th percentile with both feet. So I know about bum luck - and how long an injury for which surgery is the only cure can string you along with false hope.
The curious thing, in my case, was that the first course of action (I won't bore you with the whole saga) called for rest and a shot of cortisone. The cortisone made the pain go away for an entire month. But then, as the effects of the cortisone wore off, I found myself - much to my disappointment - right back where I started. I had three rounds of cortisone, supplemented with massage, various exercise-therapy regimens, stretching, and even ultra-sound administered by professionals. None of it worked. In each case, the total time invested in avoiding surgery was three months - the same time-line we see in Delpo's case. My doctor refused to give me more than three consecutive monthly shots of cortisone, for long-term health reasons. I'll tell you this, the false hope provided by the cortisone (just hours after getting a shot, my foot felt fine each time) was almost enough to send me into therapy.
My original point, of course, is: Why can't Delpo explain his troubles as simply as I just described mine? It's not like doing so would give his peers and rivals some sort of edge when he returns to the tour.
This much is certain: the guy isn't going to schedule wrist surgery just to cover up the fact that he's experiencing panic attacks, or unable to bear the pressure, strain and stress of competition. Del Potro was dealt a lousy hand that ought to make every tennis pro out there think, There but for the grace of God go I. . . Earning a major title, especially at the expense of Roger Federer, is an achievement that ought to be the beginning of something, not the end.
Personally, I can see why a guy might want to go see a psychologist when he's been thus deceived by fate.