Juan Martin del Potro to consult Roger Federer's doctor for his knee problems
Argentine tennis player Juan Martin del Potro has arrived in Switzerland for medical assistance on his right knee, after having undergone surgery on it earlier in the year. Del Potro will be consulting Swiss legend Roger Federer's doctor to evaluate his next steps.
According to Juan Martin del Potro's press team, the former World No. 3 flew to Europe on Thursday and will have to serve 10 days in quarantine before being treated by Dr. Roland Biedert in Switzerland. Del Potro has been in remote contact with the doctor since January.
Biedert is a renowned knee specialist who, in addition to working extensively with Roger Federer, has also been associated with Stan Wawrinka.
Juan Martin del Potro's tryst with injuries continues
Juan Martin Del Potro decided to travel to Switzerland weeks after returning to training on the tennis court, after acknowledging that he continued to suffer discomfort in his knee.
"Once again I am giving everything to continue doing what I love," Del Potro had written in July on his Instagram account.
Since 2019, Juan Martin del Potro has been under the knife twice for his right knee. The Argentine first fractured the knee at the 2018 Shanghai Masters, which forced him to miss the rest of that year and the first four months of 2019 too.
Juan Martin del Potro re-injured his kneecap during his opening round match at the 2019 Queen's Championships, ruling him out for the rest of the season. Then in January 2020, owing to his persisting knee issues, the 2009 US Open champion had to undergo another surgery - this time with no specific timeline on his return to tennis.
The 'Tower of Tandil' is set to miss both the US Open and the French Open this year. The chances of him making a comeback to the court in 2020 seem very remote.
But the Argentine would hope that working with Roger Federer's doctor can boost the recovery process. The doctor has famously helped the Swiss maestro deal with his own recurring knee issues, which have come into sharp focus this year.
Roger Federer and his knee troubles
Roger Federer underwent an arthroscopic surgery on his right knee after the Australian Open, a little before the tour went on the coronavirus-enforced break. The Swiss then suffered a setback during rehab and was forced into another procedure in June, which ruled him out of the rest of 2020.
After speculation about the Maestro's future in tennis started doing the rounds, Roger Federer cleared the doubts last month and said that his recovery was going well. He is already planning to make a full-fledged return in 2021, and is especially looking forward to returning to his beloved Wimbledon.
Juan Martin del Potro would hope that his stars align with Roger Federer's, and that the Swiss legend's doctor can help him return to full fitness too. Del Potro will be particularly eager to return to the tour next year given that the Olympic Games in Tokyo are on the schedule.
Juan Martin del Potro has a special relationship with the biggest sporting event in the world, having won the silver medal for his country in 2016 after beating Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal on the way. The Argentine also won the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics.