The Argentine tennis player Juan Martín del Potro, who stopped playing professionally in 2022, offered an interview to the media La Nación, from his country, in which he spoke about various moments in his career, which will be his official farewell to the sport, and the current state of your health.
One of the most significant answers in the interview came when talking about his injuries, that prevented him from continuing to play tennis.
He mentioned that he had eight operations on his knees throughout his career due to the discomfort they have caused him and that, even today, when he no longer works as a professional, they cause him suffering.
He stated that currently The only thing he asks for, in terms of his physique, is to be able to climb stairs.painless.
Del Potro defined as “a daily struggle” his coexistence with his knees that take a toll on him due to his journey in the sport, as one of the best players in the history of Argentine and Latin American tennis.
“I didn’t achieve that quality of life. I hear stories of people who get a prosthesis and walk and their leg doesn’t hurt anymore. But they tell me ‘not you because you are 36 years old, and you have to wait 15 more years. It’s a conversation I have a lot with doctors. I tell them ‘look, what am I going to wait, 15 years to be 50 and be able to get a prosthesis to walk well from 50 to 70? If today I can’t climb a staircase,” he lamented.
In that sense, he mentioned that to give a dignified and nice closure to his career as a tennis player, he organized a farewell match in which he will face Serbian Novak Djokovic on December 1.
“I have to give closure to what tennis is and feel a little active, but This is the end point to everything I suffered.And having my final photo with the racket next to Novak is what will stay with me for a lifetime.”, he assured.
The Argentine mentioned that Djokovic, a few months ago, was willing and happy to play a final match against him.
“People have to understand that we are not going to kill ourselves like in the Rio Olympics or the US Open, because my physical condition is no longer the same,” he explained.
Juan Martin He promised that attendees will have fun because the event will not be the typical tennis match.. “There are going to be surprises, it is more of a show, a show where I want him to have a nice experience,” he assured.
He had multiple praises for Djokovic, whom he said is very close and a “very real” human being. “That naturalness that he has surpasses his personality. “If he thought 24 hours about who he is and what he means to the world of sports, maybe he wouldn’t have that spontaneity.”
He stated that Novak did not need to join in his farewell and that is why he values their friendship so much. “He understands my situation very well and everything I went through in my career,” he remarked.
Juan Martín del Potro won 22 ATP titles, including the United States Grand Slam, in which he defeated Swiss tennis player Roger Federer in the final in 2009 in a memorable match that was decided in the fifth set.
The Argentine also won the Davis Cup for his country in 2016 and was a bronze medalist in London 2012, and a silver medalist in Rio 2016.
