Juan Martin del Potro sarcastically thanks Max Verstappen after Carlos Sainz ends Dutchman's F1 win streak in 2023

Juan Martin del Potro has sarcastically thanked Max Verstappen for finally allowing him to watch an entertaining Formula 1 race until the end by not running away with a victory in his usual dominant fashion.

Red Bull Racing have been in command since the start of the 2023 F1 season. They won all 14 races of the season heading into the Singapore Grand Prix — Verstappen winning 12 and his teammate Sergio Perez winning two.

However, the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore threw a host of surprises this weekend. On a track where Verstappen never won in his career, the Dutchman struggled throughout qualifying and the race, finishing fifth on Sunday, September 17.

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz took the chequered flag, with McLaren's Lando Norris and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton completing the podium.

After the race, Argentine tennis ace Juan Martin del Potro took to social media to thank Verstappen for making the race entertaining by not fighting his way through the field and recording his 11th successive win in F1.

"Thank you Max Verstappen for letting us see an entertaining race until the end, finally #GpSingapur #CarlosSainz," he wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

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Juan Martin del Potro opened up on persistent injury struggles as comeback at US Open 2023 got shelved

Juan Martin del Potro has been on the sidelines since February 2022

In June this year, Juan Martin del Potro expressed his desire to return to the court at the 2023 US Open before officially calling time on his career. That plan, however, was later shelved due to persistent injuries.

Before the New York Major got underway, del Potro took to social media to lament his injury troubles and expressed sadness at not being able to compete in a tournament he previously won (2009).

In a (translated) post X (formerly known as Twitter), he said:

"Hello everyone. As you already know, my desire [was] to return to such a special [tournament] as the US Open is, I was very excited. I tried by all means to come to term, but my body does not accompany me 100% to be able to feel comfortable and happy to share, once again with you, a unique moment."

He added:

"They also know that pain that I feel does not allow me to focus yet on a return. I will continue looking for the best alternatives to recover my quality of life. I thank you for the company, the compassion and the messages of encouragement that they leave me. I send you a big hug. I hope to see you soon."

The 43-year-old was last seen in action in February 2022, when he lost to Federico Delbonis in straight sets in Buenos Aires.