Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro says he is not ready to retire from the sport yet as he sets his sights on playing in the Olympic Games following a lengthy absence from the Tour.
The former US Open champion hasn’t played a competitive match since the 2019 Queen’s Championships in London. It was at the tournament where Del Potro suffered a serious knee injury during his clash with Denis Shapovalov by breaking his Patella for the second time in his career. He also suffered the same injury during the 2018 Shanghai Masters.
Del Potro has since undergone multiple surgeries in a bid to return to full fitness, as well as stem cell therapy. In Brazil last year he underwent a procedure called BMAC (Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate) which involves collecting regenerative stem cells from a person’s body and then injected into the affected area to aid recovery. Despite the various treatments, Del Potro continue to experience issues with his knee but is not prepared to pull the plug on his career just yet.
“I think this is my year,” he told reporters at an event in Buenos Aires on Wednesday.
“The Olympic Games are pulling me along, that is the motivation that I have.”
“The knee is giving me a lot of headaches, I can’t close out my story yet. I feel like I have more to give and so I’ll keep trying.”
The 32-year-old is already a two-time Olympic medallist after winning bronze in 2012 followed by a silver in 2016. At the Rio Games he stunned world No.1 Novak Djokovic in the first round en route to reaching the final. He missed out on the title after losing in four sets to Andy Murray.
It is not the first time in the Argentine’s career that his body has betrayed him. Besides having three surgeries on his knees, he has also undergone surgery on his right wrist three times and another on his left wrist. He has spent nine or more months away from the tour due to injury on four separate occasions.
Del Potro admits that he still continues to experience ups and downs concerning his knee. Although his intention remains to return to the Tour in the near future.
“Sometimes I am animated (for a return) and other times it’s hard to envisage but I feel there is something inside me and so I keep fighting,” he said.
“I want to end my career when it is right for me and not because of my health.”
Del Potro’s comments took place at the 2020 Konex Awards in Buenos Aires where he was presented with an accolade for the most outstanding player of the last decade. The former world No.3 has won 22 ATP titles so far in his career and has earned more prize money than any other Argentine tennis player in history.
