Tennis | Djokovic, nostalgic in Del Potro’s retirement: “I’m sad, my great rivals are gone”

“I continue to play and I believe I am part of a golden era. Federer, Nadal, Murray, Delpo, Wawrinka… I’m a little sad because my great rivals are gone. A part of my tennis person goes with them, but I continue to look for this motivation. Now I work with a new coach who inspires me to achieve great things in our sport“, explained Novak Djokovic at the press conference prior to the tribute match that will be played in the retirement of Juan Martín del Potro.

An invitation that he did not take long to accept to honor the figure of the tennis player from Tandil, “It was an easy decision for me to come here when he called me. The rivalry we have is very big and we have many wonderful moments in the biggest stadiums of our sport“, described the one from Belgrade.

An exhibition that led him to return to Argentina, “It is a great pleasure to return after 11 years of the first time. I can imagine all the emotions that Juan Martín is experiencing at this moment. I have done everything to live this moment in the best way with him and all the Argentine people with whom in the past I have shared very beautiful moments. I feel at home here“.

Besides, Djokovic lamented the bad luck with the injuries of his rival and friend Del Potro, “With his talent, he has had bad luck with injuries because without them his career could surely have been greater“said ‘Nole’.”I don’t know what it is because I haven’t had bad luck like him with injuries, but that makes him greater as an athlete, when you don’t have the health, you can’t do or be 100% dedicated to the sport.“, he stated.