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Juan Martin del Potro had an emotional moment before the final service game of his match against Federico Delbonis at the 2022 Argentina Open on Tuesday.
Before what turned out to be quite possibly the final game of the Argentinian's career, the crowd sang his name, chanting "Ole Ole Ole, Delpooo, Delpooo." The atmosphere was too much for the former World No. 3, causing him to break down in tears.
The former US Open champion returned to action in Buenos Aires after nearly three years on the sidelines due to a knee injury. Prior to the tournament, he had hinted that he might retire from tennis after the South American clay swing.
Delbonis won the match in straight sets but the evening belonged to del Potro, who enthralled fans with some of his trademark forehands.
Following the completion of the match, the Argentinian left his headband on top of the net in a symbolic gesture.
"Today is a full stop but I am leaving the door open for tennis" - Juan Martin del Potro
Although del Potro might have played his last professional tennis match, he did not rule out the possibility of returning to the sport in the future.
"Today is a full stop but I am going to leave the window open for tennis because what I experienced tonight is unforgettable," the Argentinian said. "What is clear is, whether or not I play in Rio, I am going to take a break to let my knee recover and live without pain even if I don't play tennis. I want to have my body do what I want and not what I can."
Despite injuries derailing him on a number of occasions, del Potro has had an impressive career, winning 22 ATP singles titles. The most notable of these was his victory at the 2009 US Open where he defeated Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in the semifinals and final respectively.
The Argentinian also won the Indian Wells Masters in 2018 and has two Olympic medals to his name. Although tennis fans would love to see del Potro return to action in the future, there is a fair chance that Tuesday's match in Buenos Aires was his final one.
