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Juan Martin Del Potro played what may have been his final competitive match at the Argentina Open on Tuesday 8 February 2022. The beloved Argentine bowed out against compatriot Federico Delbonis in an emotional opening round match at the ATP 250 event in Buenos Aires.
The 33-year-old suffered numerous injury setbacks that sidelined him for significant periods of his professional career, which started in 2005. Despite this, the 'Tower of Tandil' still reached incredible heights when he was healthy.
Del Potro claimed 22 ATP titles, including the 2009 US Open, and reached a career-high ranking of World No. 3. He holds an excellent 439-174 (71.4%) career record, including 53 wins against opponents ranked in the top 10.
Here is a look at seven of the most important triumphs of the Argentine's career:
2009 US Open semifinal vs. Nadal: won 6-2, 6-2, 6-2
Del Potro met legendary Spaniard Rafael Nadal, then ranked third in the World, in the last four of the 2009 US Open. To reach his second Grand Slam semifinal, the 21-year-old beat Juan Monaco, Jurgen Melzer, Daniel Kollerer, Juan Carlos Ferrero, and Marin Cilic.
The No. 6 seed had defeated Nadal in the pair's two previous matches - at the Masters 1000 events in Miami and Montreal that year. In New York, he steamrolled the then defending Australian Open champion and six-time Major winner.
The Argentine broke Nadal six times, dropped just two games in each set, and saved all five break points he faced. While the Spaniard later revealed an abdominal tear hampered him during the tournament, Del Potro's ruthless display, which took him to his first Grand Slam final, remains impressive.
2009 US Open final vs. Federer: won 3-6, 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-2
Following his crushing victory over Nadal, Del Potro faced another all-time great - Roger Federer - in the final of the 2009 US Open. The Swiss was the World No. 1 and a five-time defending US Open champion.
Heading into his maiden Major final, the Argentine had lost all six of his encounters with Federer, winning just two sets. However, those sets came in the pair's previous match - a five-set semifinal at the 2009 French Open.
After Federer took the first set 6-3, Del Potro recovered from 5-3 down to edge the second set on a tiebreak. The 21-year-old then lost the third set after being up a break at 4-3, but took a tight fourth set on a tiebreak to push the contest into a decider.
The Argentine broke twice in the fifth set to win a thrilling four-hour-and-six-minute final and claim his only Grand Slam title. Fittingly, Del Potro's trademark huge forehand was pivotal in his triumph.
2016 Olympics first round vs. Djokovic: won 7-6(4), 7-6(2)
After undergoing three left wrist surgeries in 2014 and 2015, Del Potro made a remarkable comeback in 2016. The 'Tower of Tandil' met World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, who held three of the four Grand Slam titles at the time, in the opening round of the Olympic tennis event in Rio.
The Argentine had lost eleven of his fourteen career meetings against Djokovic, but beat him in the bronze medal match at the 2012 London Olympics. History repeated itself in Rio, as the then 27-year-old ended the great Serb's Olympic medal hopes once again.
Del Potro, playing using a protected ranking, blasted 32 forehand winners and did not face a break point in upsetting Djokovic in two tiebreak sets. It was a stunning win which started an unforgettable 2016 Olympic campaign for the then World No. 141.
2016 Olympics semifinal vs. Nadal: won 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(2)
No. 3 seed Nadal, who he held a 4-8 record against but had not played since 2013.
Despite being broken in the opening game, 2008 Olympic champion Nadal responded by breaking twice to take the opening set. Del Potro earned another early break in the second set and did not relinquish his advantage again as he leveled the contest.
The Argentine then broke to go 5-4 up in the third set, but the Spaniard struck back after a brilliant forehand passing shot down the line. Del Potro took command of the decisive tiebreak with his forehand to establish a 5-2 lead before converting his second match point to edge a pulsating duel.
The gentle giant earned a silver medal after being beaten by No. 2 seed Andy Murray in a grueling four-set gold medal match.
2016 Davis Cup semifinal vs. Murray: won 6-4, 5-7, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4
Del Potro met Murray in another Argentina vs. Great Britain clash in the semifinals of the 2016 Davis Cup the following month. The then second-ranked Murray enjoyed a remarkable season - which he would finish as World No. 1.
The Brit had won six of the pair's eight matches going into the opening rubber of the Davis Cup tie played on indoor hard courts in Glasgow. The Argentine came from 2-0 down to win the opening set before Murray broke to win a close second set and level the match.
In the third set, the 2016 Wimbledon champion recovered from 5-3 behind and saved a set point to force a tiebreak, which he edged. Del Potro reacted to that disappointment superbly, though, and did not face a breakpoint as he took the fourth and fifth sets after securing a single break in each.
In a five-four-and-seven-minute marathon, the 'Tower of Tandil' had earned his revenge for the Olympic final. Del Potro's crucial first singles rubber triumph helped Argentina prevail 3-2 against defending champions Great Britain to progress to the Davis Cup final.
2016 Davis Cup final vs. Cilic: won 6-7(4), 2-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-3
Two months after helping Argentina in Scotland, Del Potro led his nation in another tough away tie for the Davis Cup final against Croatia in Zagreb. He defeated Ivo Karlovic on an opening day, but Croatia led 2-1, heading into the last day after winning two rubbers.
The giant Argentine met World No. 6 Marin Cilic in a must-win fourth rubber. The Croatian took the opening set on a tiebreak before breaking twice to secure the second set and put his nation one set away from glory.
Del Potro broke to edge a tight third set as Cilic served to force a tiebreak and struck again when his opponent did to stay in the fourth to level the match. The then World No. 38 hit straight back after being broken in the opening game of the fifth set before earning the crucial break to go 5-3 ahead.
Spurred on by incredible support from away fans, he served out to complete a remarkable comeback - his first-ever from two-sets-to-love down - and to crucially tie the final at 2-2. Federico Delbonis downed Karlovic in the decisive fifth rubber to clinch Argentina's first-ever Davis Cup title.
2018 Indian Wells final vs. Federer: won 6-4, 6-7(8), 7-6(2)
After beating three top 10 players to win the Mexican Open in Acapulco the previous week, Del Potro was ranked eighth at the 2018 Indian Wells Masters. The No. 6 seed dispatched Alex De Minaur, David Ferrer, Leonardo Mayer, Philipp Kohlschreiber and Milos Raonic to reach the final.
His opponent in the title match was World No. 1 and defending champion Federer, who had won the Australian Open and Rotterdam to make an unbeaten start to 2018. The Argentine lost three of his four matches with the great Swiss in 2017 but had prevailed in four sets when they faced off in the US Open quarterfinals.
Del Potro broke to go up 3-2 en route to the opening set before saving two set points at 4-5 to push the second set into a tiebreak. Federer saved a match point at 7-8 before converting a sixth set point to edge a tense tiebreak.
After losing serve at 4-4 in the third set, the sixth seed fought off three Federer match points to break back in the next game before convincingly winning a decisive tiebreak for victory. The thrilling triumph saw Del Potro win his first and only Masters 1000 title after previously losing three finals at that level.
