Juan Martin del Potro will not play the Rio Open

Argentine tennis player Juan Martín del Potro, former number three in the world, will not play the Rio Opena decision that seems to permanently remove him from the courts in the midst of a rebellious injury to his right knee that kept him inactive for 32 months.

“Unfortunately Juan Martín del Potro will not play the Rio Open. It was always a dream to have him with us and we were very close to achieving it. We wish you much success in the future and know that the doors of the Rio Open will always be open for you,” the competition said on its official Twitter account.

The presence of Del Potro in the main tennis tournament in South America was in suspense after the athlete, 33 years old and 753 in the ATP ranking, said goodbye to his fans after losing on Tuesday with his compatriot Federico Delbonis (6-1 and 6-3) at the ATP 250 in Argentina.

The Argentine had said that those in Buenos Aires, where returned to the sport after 32 months of inactivityand Rio would be his last tournaments.

“Today is a point and apart. I will always leave the window open. But tennis is on the sidelines until I can improve my leg. If I succeed, I will put other cards on the table. Right now I’m not sure about Rio,” Del Potro said at a press conference.

The athlete said goodbye in tears that night before 5 thousand spectators who cheered and cheered him on for a successful career that included winning the 2009 US Open against then-world number one Roger Federer, the 2016 Davis Cup against Croatia and two Olympic medals, silver at the Rio 2016 Games and bronze in London 2012.

“We may not meet again. Today I gave everything I had, to the last point. I’m happy because my last game was probably on a court and not giving a press conference, “he told the audience after a game in which he was seen diminished.

Although he refrained from mentioning his final retirement, Del Potro assured in Buenos Aires that he would speak with his doctors to define his future and treat his knee, whose pain, he said, prevents him from sleeping.

Without him in the main draw, in the eighth edition of the Rio Open the Italian Matteo Berrettini (sixth in the world ranking), the Norwegian Casper Ruud (eighth), the Argentine Diego Schwartzman (15) and the French Benoit Paire (50) stand out. ).

The tournament, in the ATP 500 category and played on clay, will be played between Monday and next Sunday at the Jockey Club in the city of Rio de Janeiro.

​FCM​