The wrist does him in yet again; Juan Martin del Potro laid low by severe wrist pain

Juan Martin del Potro

Fate and talent are strange bedfellows; even in proximity they can often baffle their host by straying in opposite directions. Juan Martin del Potro is confronting pain again and this time it is his left wrist. The French sports daily L’Equipe has reported that del Potro has travelled to Rochester in Minnesota to consult with Dr. Richard Berger about the condition of his left wrist.

The Argentine star has been suffering from sporadic bouts of tendinitis in his left wrist since the Cincinnati Masters and the US Open in 2012. His team managed the problem through regular treatment and even though he reported a recurrence during the stretch from Marseille through Miami in 2013, it was generally felt that the man from Tandil was ready to return to his best.

Dr. Berger performed a surgery on the right wrist of Del Potro in 2010 and the injury cost him nearly two full seasons as he worked his way back to the tour. The Argentine suffered another bout of pain just ahead of the US Open last year, but injections helped him play through it; he was upset in the second round by a determined Lleyton Hewitt in a five-set thriller.

At the start of this season, Del Potro was holding up fine as he worked his way to an 18th career title in Sydney. But severe pain left him in deep discomfort again as he stumbled to another untimely exit at the Australian Open. But not many recognised his state as he succumbed in another five-set match in the second round to Roberto Bautista-Agut.

Over the past few years, it has become increasingly clear that del Potro has a substantial problem, with the left wrist frequently needing the attention of his renowned doctor at the famed Mayo Clinic in Rochester. The last time he had surgery, Del Potro fell to No. 298 (February 2011) in the world before working his way back to the top 10 by the start of the 2012 season.

The Argentine has stayed away from Davis Cup duty ever since a stand off with the Asociación Argentina de Tenis (AAT) over not being consulted about the team or venues. The star wasn’t available to play this week against Italy, but was scheduled to return to action on 10 February for the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam.

Fans of tennis, and not just those that root for the giant man, will wait eagerly to learn of the extent of the injury and the impact it may have on his immediate plans. The tennis world has been enthused by the emergence of Stanislas Wawrinka, who has joined del Potro in a much lauded effort to break the monopoly of the fabulous four on the holy grail of grand slam glory. Del Potro’s injury, obstinate and inconvenient, threatens to derail the journey of the giant and leave fans high and dry just as they hoped for the emergence of a deeper collection of challengers to the men at the top.