World No.6 Juan Martin del Potro is unlikely to play at the upcoming French Open due to injury, according to a source familiar with the situation.
The former US Open champion was playing David Goffin in the third round of the Italian Open on Thursday. Trailing by a set and 5-4, the Argentine retired from the match due to a groin injury. It was the first time he has withdrawn from a singles match on the tour since the 2014 Dubai Open.
“I don’t know what happened. All of a sudden in the second, he felt something. I don’t know where, leg or the back, I don’t know because I didn’t see the treatment.” Goffin said about Del Potro after the match.
“When when he came back, he started to play well, to play full, to try to come back in the match, to stay solid.”
“I was surprised when he stopped at 5-4.” He later added.
It appears that the issue is set to force Del Potro out of Roland Garros. A reliable source at the Foro Italico has told Ubitennis that his chances of playing at the French Open are ‘very low.’ Del Potro is defending a total of 90 points in the tournament following his third round loss to Andy Murray last year.
Since 2013, the Argentine has only played at the French major once last year. He missed the event in 2013, 2014 and 2015 due to a wrist injury that almost made him retire from the sport. Then in 2016 he opted to skip the event in order to prepare for the grass season.
The setback comes after what has been a positive start to the year for the 29-year-old. In March he defeated Roger Federer to win his first Masters 1000 title at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Prior to that, he also won a ATP title in Acapulco, Mexico.
Del Potro currently has a win-loss record of 23-6 so far this year.
UPDATE
Jorge Viale, who is the agent of Del Potro, has issued a statement concerning the injury. In it, he said that the Argentine will wait until Friday to undergo further tests to establish the exact diagnoses of the issue and its seriousness. Viale didn’t comment on Del Potro’s potential absence from the French Open, but released a one-sentence statement from him.
“I felt something strange in the leg during the first set, because of the pain it was very difficult for me to move and slide.” Said Del Potro.
