By Chris Oddo | Sunday October 14, 2018
Juan Martin del Potro suffered a fractured patella in Shanghai and may not be fit for the ATP World Tour Finals.
Photo Source: AP
One of Juan Martin del Potro’s best seasons as a pro may be coming to a premature end. The World No.4 revealed that he suffered a fractured patella bone after taking a hard fall during his round of 16 match to Borna Coric at the Shanghai Masters.
Del Potro retired from the match and may not be able to play again in 2018.
"It's a very difficult moment," said Del Potro, who is wearing a splint on his right leg. "I feel very sad. It's a hard blow that leaves me without strength. It's very difficult for me to think about recovery again, I did not expect this to happen."
According to the ATP, Del Potro isn’t quite sure about the full extent of the injury and he’ll seek the advice of his doctors throughout the week when it comes to deciding on his status for the Nitto ATP Finals.
If Del Potro isn’t fit to go Kei Nishikori is next in line in the Race to London standings.
Thanks to a great season Del Potro has qualified for the ATP Finals for the fifth time and the first time since 2013. The 30-year-old owns a 46-12 record with 2 titles, including his first Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells. He also reached the final at the U.S. Open, the semifinals at Roland Garros and the quarterfinals at Wimbledon.