Novak Djokovic helps Juan Martin del Potro fulfill his dream of playing one last match at home in Argentina with exhibition commitment
Juan Martin del Potro recently announced an exhibition match against Novak Djokovic. Del Potro said it was his dream to play his final tennis match in Argentina and the Serb has committed to helping him achieve that.
The Argentine posted a video on X (formerly Twitter) where he begins by praising the former World No. 1 and discussing his dream.
"I have a dream. I want to play my last match in Argentina and I want you to come," Del Potro said to Djokovic (translated from Spanish).
Djokovic, who speaks Spanish well, responded:
"Are you kidding me? Obviously I'm coming. For you, in Argentina, of course." (translated from Spanish)
The exhibition match, slated to be played on Sunday, December 1, in the Mary Terán de Weiss stadium in Buenos Aires, is billed as the 'The Last Challenge'.
The Serb is expected to arrive in the country by late November and participate in the official dinner of the event. The next day, he is expected to participate in media duties and on December 1, he will play in the exhibition match before departing.
Del Potro did not officially retire but he has not played a professional match since February 2022, a first-round loss at the Argentina Open. He fractured his right patella in 2018 and in 2019, he reinjured the knee.
Since then, he has undergone four surgeries but he reportedly continued to feel pain. The 2009 US Open winner hoped to make a comeback in the 2023 edition but he withdrew due to pain-related issues.
Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin del Potro interacted at the US Open 2024
Before the 2024 US Open commenced, Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin del Potro participated in a practice session. They shared several light-hearted moments, including when the Serb jokingly called his "greatest success" defeating the Argentine in their 2018 US Open final.
DJOKOVIC: "My greatest success ever was beating Juan Martin del Potro in the final of US Open in 2018."
DEL POTRO: "My biggest success was beating you in Rio."
DJOKOVIC: "And in London! Delpo is my nemesis at the Olympic Games. He’s been my slayer."
Djokovic and Del Potro met twice at the Olympic Games. The Argentine won the bronze medal match against the Serb 7-5, 6-4 in 2012 and even defeated him 7-6(4), 7-6(2) in the first round in 2016.
However, Del Potro was emotional upon watching the 24-time Grand Slam winner win the elusive gold medal in Paris in August.