"Rafael Nadal is giving himself the pleasure of retiring in his own way, unfortunately I couldn't" - Juan Martin del Potro

Juan Martin del Potro has expressed regret at how he could not retire on his own terms by citing the example of Rafael Nadal.

Del Potro, a former ATP World No. 3, rose to tennis superstardom with his 2009 US Open triumph. His run to the title saw him defeat Nadal in the semifinals and then Roger Federer in the final. The Argentine also won 21 other titles on the ATP Tour, including a Masters title at the 2018 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

However, Del Potro's career was marred by a series of wrist and knee injuries. The Argentine's last match on the ATP Tour came in a defeat to Federico Delbonis at the 2022 Argentina Open.

Early last year, Del Potro hinted at a potential return to action at the 2023 US Open. However, he could not make it, and despite never officially announcing his retirement, it is widely believed that the Argentine's professional tennis career is done and dusted.

Recently, Del Potro paid a surprise visit to the ongoing Madrid Open, and in an interview on the ATP Masters 1000 event's Twitch, he talked about Nadal's retirement. The Spaniard, currently preparing for his third-round match against Pedro Cachin, has said that this could be his last season on the tour.

"Nadal is giving himself the pleasure of retiring in his own way and under his conditions. And it is something that unfortunately I couldn't do because of my health. Seeing him play and seeing that passion for competing and that energy he has is something unique and I don't know if there will be something similar in the coming years," del Potro said.

"If you went to clay there, Rafael Nadal was the best" - Juan Martin del Potro

Juan Martin del Potro (L) and Rafael Nadal (R) at the 2018 US Open

Del Potro attended the match between Carlos Alcaraz and Gael Monfils at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells earlier this year. The Argentine interacted with the media following Alcaraz's victory.

During the interaction, Del Potro talked about how Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic were individually "the best in history at different times". However, he admitted that on clay, Nadal was superior even when Federer was at his peak between 2006-2009.

"Each one was the best in history at different times. In the period from 2006 to 2009 Roger was unbeatable, but if you went to clay there Rafa was the best," del Potro said.