"If today was my last game, I'm leaving happy" - Juan Martin del Potro after 1R exit at Argentina Open 2022
Juan Martin del Potro might have played his last competitive match on Tuesday. After an emotional first-round exit from the Argentina Open in front of his home crowd, del Potro reckons he could not have asked for a better farewell from the sport.
The 33-year-old shocked the tennis world by hinting at his retirement in a press conference last week. A teary-eyed del Potro revealed that he might call it quits at the end of his campaign in Buenos Aires because of his latest bout with injury.
The former World No. 3 was granted a wildcard for his home tournament and faced compatriot Federico Delbonis in the opener, his first match in almost three years. Unfortunately, the former US Open champion was beaten 6-1, 6-3.
Juan Martin del Potro broke down in tears after the match, overwhelmed by the reception he received from the crowd. He even went as far as to leave his iconic headband resting on the net before leaving the court, indicating that this could indeed be his farewell match.
Juan Martín del Potro's last time on a tennis court. He leaves his headband in the net...😓 https://t.co/yXKyMxzqoB
Speaking at his press conference later, Juan Martin del Potro did not seem shaken by the prospect of not playing another match. On the contrary, he was full of praise for the heartwarming reception he was treated to and remarked that he would remember it for the rest of his life.
Having grown up watching the Argentina Open as a kid, the 2009 US Open winner said ending his career on the same clay courts would be the ideal way to go.
“[Days like today] are the days that I will remember for the rest of my life. I still haven't found a place where I'm happier than [at the Argentina Open]. That's why I wanted to play here," del Potro said. "I watched the tournament on TV [as a child] and I couldn't find a better place to do it than here. If today was my last game, I'm leaving happy."
"Lo de hoy es un punto y aparte. Ahora tengo que ocuparme de la rodilla para mi vida, para el el día a día. Pero voy a dejar la ventana abierta en el tenis porque lo que viví esta noche es inolvidable. Si hoy fue mi último partido, me voy feliz” - Juan Martín Del Potro. Leyenda. https://t.co/dkAzr6L0eJ
Furthermore, Juan Martin del Potro revealed that he was "at peace" with himself because he had exited the sport on his own terms -- on the tennis court. One of the thousands who had turned up to watch him one last time was his mother Patricia del Potro, making the occasion even more special. Incredibly, it was the first time his mother had watched him play live.
“I gave everything I had until the last point and I am at peace with myself. My last game was in front of people and not in a conference. I will always remember it," del Potro said. "It was the first time that my mother saw a game of mine and she also had the illusion that my father was there.”
Del Potro's achievements include winning the US Open in 2009, two Olympic medals in consecutive Games, winning the Indian Wells Masters in 2018 and leading Argentina to their first Davis Cup title in 2016.
"Today is a full stop, but I am going to leave the window open for tennis" - Juan Martin del Potro
Juan Martin del Potro did not close the door completely on the possibility of returning to tennis in the future. For the moment, however, the Argentinian wanted to focus on making a full recovery from injury before committing to his participation in the upcoming Rio Open (February 14-20).
"Today is a full stop but I am going to leave the window open for tennis because what I experienced tonight is unforgettable," del Potro 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."
Juan Martin del Potro is returning to court for the first time since June 2019.
The 2009 US Open Champion has accepted wildcards into next week's Argentina Open and the Rio Open the week after. https://t.co/zhsUH63rYm
The 33-year-old has been provisionally allotted a wildcard for the event, but based on his latest remarks it is unlikely that he will be making the trip to Brazil.
Also Check Out: Argentina Open 2022 Results