Despite being out of action since July of 2019, and undergoing three surgeries to his right knee in that span, Juan Martin del Potro still aims to make it back for the 2021 Olympic Games next summer. The 2009 US Open champion and former World No.3 talked to ESPN F90 and opened up about his wishes.
"It's taking a lot for me to come back. I still stand by wanting to continue playing,” Del Potro said. “The reality is that it is difficult. I am going to keep fighting it as long as I feel like I want to continue. ... Due to the pandemic, the Olympic Games are over for next year and I'm excited to be there.”
32-year-old Del Potro has had his career slowed by a litany of surgeries since 2010. The Argentine underwent one on the right wrist and three on the left wrist, followed by three on the right knee in the last year and a half.
Del Potro says he has been close to calling it quits on his legendary career, which includes 22 titles and 439 ATP wins in addition to his US Open title. But he's not quite ready to give up on his dream of making more tennis memories and finishing his career on his own terms.
The Tandil, Argentina native was also a runner-up at the 2018 US Open and a winner of the Davis Cup in 2016 as well as a silver medalist at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
"I had put the limit in the third wrist operation and luckily I did not do it and then it was with the second and third operation knee. Now I set the Olympic Games as my goal and if it doesn't happen I will continue to lie to myself for the love of tennis and I want to retire inside a court.” he said.