Juan Martin del Potro has revealed that he is still taking medication every day to help him deal with pain in his knee more than two years after playing his last match on the Tour.
The former US Open champion has opened up about his struggles in an emotional 12-minute Spanish-speaking video published on his Instagram account. Del Potro peaked at a ranking high of No.3 in the world and won 22 titles on the ATP Tour. Known by the nickname ‘Tower of Tandil,’ his forehand was one of the most powerful in the sport when he was playing which won him admiration from both his peers and fans.
However, the Argentine’s career was marred by injury setbacks which required him to go under the knife multiple times. He underwent surgery on his right wrist in 2010 and then had three additional procedures on his left wrist between 2014 and 2015. Then a slip on the grass at Queen’s in 2018 sparked the beginning of a severe knee injury which resulted in him having surgery on four different occasions – June 2019, January 2020, August 2020 and March 2021.
Del Potro played his last match in 2022 at the Argentina Open. Reflecting on his departure from the sport, he has for the first time spoken publically about a secret comeback attempt that he staged whilst staying in Switzerland.
“Nobody knew this, but the day after I played my last match against Delbonis [Buenos Aires 2022] I took a flight to Switzerland and I had my fifth knee surgery,” journalist José Morgado quoted Del Potro as saying in his video.
“Since that, I never made my surgeries public again as I found some peace in the press conference before that match against Federico, saying it would probably be my last match. People stopped asking me constantly when I would come back and play again.
“I did all this process secretly and if it worked I would announce that I would come back. I spent two months in Switzerland, in a village close to Basel trying to rehabilitate and it didn’t work. After 2.5 months… I had my 6th surgery. I went back to the USA. More rehab, over 100 injections everywhere. Infiltrations… daily suffering. It’s been my life since that match against Federico.”
Unfortunately, the 36-year-old never found a solution that opened the door for him to return to the sport as he continues to battle with pain in his knee. The journey has also taken an emotional toll on Del Potro who now takes anti-anxiety medication, as well as painkillers, regularly.
“I’m still looking every day for a solution. It all started with that first surgery. Every time I think about that I still get emotional. I feel terrible.” He continued.
“My daily life isn’t what I would like it to be. I can’t play football, I can’t play Padel. It’s terrible. It’s very tough.
“There are moments where I have no more strength. I’m not indestructible. I have good things, bad things but most of the time I have to fake it and put on a good face, but many times I feel terrible.
“Every day when I wake up I have to take 6 or 7 seven pils. Gastric protectors, anti-inflammatories, one for anxiety. Then the pills made me gain weight so they told me to stop eating some things.”
Despite his struggles, Del Potro has been told by doctors he is too young to have any prosthetic knee procedures even though it could improve his quality of life.
Despite all of his problems, Del Potro will return to the court next week in Buenos Aires where he will play an exhibition match against Novak Djokovic. The exhibition is called ‘El Ultimo Desafio’ (The Last Challenge) and will be held at the Estadio Mary Terán de Weiss, also known as the Parque Roca, on December 1st.
“I started my diet, I’m losing weight, I’m training. I wanna arrive that match in the best shape possible,” Del Potro commented.
“It’s a match to say goodbye. Djokovic was very generous in accepting my invitation. I want to give him all the love possible. If at least for one, two or three hours I can be in peace and happy on a tennis court, it will be beautiful.”
