Juan Martin del Potro hopes to make injury return in February, says it would be "very special" to come back in Buenos Aires
Juan Martin del Potro has revealed that he is looking to return to action during the early part of 2022.
The Argentine has endured a number of injuries throughout his career but has managed to make a comeback each time. He is hoping to return during the month of February when ATP tournaments take place in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro.
Del Potro wrote on Instagram:
"I’ve been training really hard, some days are better than others but always with the hope of coming back to compete early next year. It would be very special to come back in Buenos Aires and then play in Rio. As you can imagine, I’m giving my all everyday so we can meet again very soon. I’ll keep you all updated with my progress. Take care."
Juan Martin del Potro has not been in action since 2019
Del Potro has dropped outside the top 100 on a number of occasions in the past but more often than not managed to climb back into the top five.
#DelPotro career major and minor comebacks
Bangkok (2010)
Sydney (2011)
Sydney (2015)
Delray Beach (2016)
Delray Beach (2017)
Delray Beach (2019)
Madrid (2019)
Buenos Aires (2022 - announced) https://t.co/ksQHeyJWaz
One such instance was in 2016, when he returned following recovery from a wrist injury. Over the next couple of years, Del Potro won a Masters 1000 title, an Olympic silver and reached a Grand Slam final. These results, among others, helped him attain a career-high ranking of No.3.
However, he suffered another series of injuries, starting at the end of 2018. During the 2019 Queen's Club Championships, Del Potro fractured his kneecap and has not featured in any tournament since then. As a result, his ranking has dropped to 745th.
It would not be a surprise if he manages to make another comeback given his track record. However, this will probably be a bigger challenge for him given the time he has spent away from the court.
Del Potro said he is aiming to return to action by February during the Argentina Open. That will be followed by the ATP 500 tournament in Rio de Janeiro.