Juan Martin del Potro said goodbye to the tennis world on Sunday, December 1st following an exhibition match set up between him and now world #7 Novak Djokovic. Djokovic, considered one of the best tennis players in history, agreed to play del Potro in Argentina (del Potro’s home country) to bid him farewell from the sport.
Who is del Potro?
The 2000s marked the start of many recognizable and extremely successful tennis careers, one being del Potro’s. Del Potro, often referred to as Delpo, started off his career strongly. He reached the semi-final of his first professional level tournament and rose over 900 places on the rankings during his debut year. However, Delpo’s biggest achievement came in 2009 where he won the prestigious US Open, beating Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the world #1 and world #2. Other significant milestones in his career include: reaching the US Open final in 2018, reaching world #3, and winning the Indian Wells tournament in Southern California.
Why an Exhibition Match?
An exhibition match is a match that does not count for any world rankings. Why would Delpo choose this for his last match? Delpo’s original retirement came in 2022 at an official tournament in Argentina. He lost a match due to many surgeries done on his knee before playing, an accurate ending to his injury- plagued career. Del Potro, now being older and experiencing pain in his knee, would be unable to compete at a pro-level tournament leaving an exhibition being the correct choice for his health.
What Happened Throughout the Match?
Many reports say that del Potro seemed to be moving in slow motion, which is understandable considering the chronic pain he has in his knee. Knowing of his pains, Djokovic gave him easy forehands, the signature shot of Delpo’s career which he rocketed winners off of to the delight of the crowd. On the last point, Djokovic signaled with his hands for cheering from the fans as he gave del Potro a free point which he, again, launched a powerful forehand ending his tennis career with a win.
This agreement from Djokovic to come to Argentina and play Del Potro was a true sign of a strong friendship between them and was appreciated by the country. It provided a fitting end to one of the most inspiring and successful careers in tennis history which will be remembered in the years to come.
Works Cited
ESPN. www.espn.com/sports/tennis/rankings?year=2005&sport=MENRANK. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
“Juan MartÃn Del Potro.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 2 Dec. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Mart%C3%ADn_del_Potro. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
NY Times. www.nytimes.com/athletic/5964322/2024/12/03/juan-martin-del-potro-tennis-retirement-last-match-djokovic/. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
