In one of the most heartening news for tennis fans, former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro has announced that he is set to make his long-awaited return to the ATP Tour this month. The 27-year-old Argentine will play his first tournament at Delray Beach, USA, starting February 15.
Del Potro has had a torrid time the last couple of years due to his ongoing wrist problems. In March 2014, he underwent surgery on his left wrist which made him miss the rest of the season. His return in January the next year was cut short once more due to the injury flaring up again. The 2012 Olympic bronze medallist had to opt for another surgery on the same wrist within 10 months.
This was Del Potro’s third wrist surgery during his career. In 2010, just a few months after winning his only Slam, he was sidelined by a surgery on his right wrist.
His latest injury reduced his activity on the Tour to a large extent and the former World No. 4 could only play six tournaments in the last two years. As a result, his ranking plummeted to 1041 and he will now have to depend on wildcards.
Post his third wrist surgery, Del Potro started his training last fall and he’s now finally ready to give it a shot. In a Youtube video posted on Wednesday, he opened up to his fans about how he thought of giving up during his struggles but his incredible support team didn’t let him fall.
“I wanted to share the news, and also the happiness that I feel, knowing that I will play a tennis tournament once again after such a long time,” del Potro said. “The uncertainty. All the bad moments I had to go through. So many mood swings, really difficult days that make you think about giving up. Still, I am lucky to be surrounded by great people.
“They wouldn’t let me fall. They were there in the right moment to support me and help me out during the most difficult moments in my career,” he went on.
He also cautioned his fans not to expect too much as this is just his first tournament after the long layoff. “Please be patient, as it’s my first tournament and coming back to the tour is always part of the rehab process,” he said.
Del Potro hasn’t yet decided how many tournaments he will attempt to participate in this year and said that it will only depend on his health and condition.
