The long absence of the man from Tandil caused a void that was filled by various players, depending on their moments. Diego Schwartzman He was, without a doubt, the tennis player who struck deepest in popular affection in recent times. However, despite generating exacerbated levels of effusiveness and having won the Buenos Aires ATP title in 2021, he is nothing compared to what happened Tuesday night on the Guillermo Vilas Central Court.
Del Potro promoted an expectation never seen in the Argentina Opena magnetism capable of emptying ticket booths and convincing those who did not have tickets for the night session to stay at the venue and follow the match against Federico Delbonis on the giant screen installed in the venue.
Not even the presence of the legendary Rafael Nadalwith dozens of Grand Slams in his showcases and already consecrated as one of the greatest idols in world tennis, installed a permanent interest in the traditional Palermo club, when he returned in 2015 and 2016. In this edition of the Buenos Aires tournament, everything revolved around the man from Tandil. From Saturday morning, only the former number 3 in the world was spoken of.
Tuesday night, the day of his return to the courts after 965 days, was the most massive. It was officially reported that 4,950 tickets were sold, the maximum possible for the main stadium. However, the capacity was exceeded, with people on the stairs and a large public in the rest of the venue. The line to enter the club had, at times, more than 500 meters.
It is not surprising, then, that the second occasion of the “Tandil Tower” at the Argentina Open has marked a box office milestone at the BALTC. With 59,436 spectators, it is the largest capacity in more than a decade and the maximum record without the addition of tubular stands. Between 2006 and 2008, the Central Court added nearly a thousand places, so that in the three editions it exceeded 60,000 people.
The return of the gentle giant commanded attention throughout the tennis world. Athletes, media and tournaments from all over the planet were waiting for the last dance of the ace of spades. The official broadcast of the tournament reached 120 countries. The conclusion is impossible to avoid: Del Potro puts Argentine tennis at the visual center, an ambassador who enhances everything with every step.
Perhaps the duel between the double Olympic medalist and Delbonis represents the most important match in the history of the tournament, even above the 1973 final between Vilas and the Swede Björn Borgor that of 1968 among Australians Rod Laver Y Roy Emerson. In the case of the oceanic they were already consecrated figures, but those who starred in the definition of 49 years ago were just beginning their stardom. On Tuesday night, those who materialized the triumph of the Davis Cup, personal friends, one of them a former Top 3 and Grand Slam champion, were measured. And you can not ignore the fact that it was a first round.
The massive sale of tickets was not the only economic impact that this edition of the Argentina Open had. Once the presence of “Delpo” was announced, it was reported that in 2022 there will be a record number of sponsors associated with the event, with a total of 28, with almost a dozen new brands that invested in the ATP event in Buenos Aires.
Only the tennis player himself will know what the road ahead of him holds. It is clear that this was the last time that Del Potro played the centenary tournament in Buenos Aires, and the fact that he announced that he will not play the ATP 500 in Rio de Janeiro shows that the last card to compete again will be one with dyes miraculous. While alternatives and desires dance with each other, Argentine tennis feels the withdrawal of its best warrior.
