‘Had the Illusion of Playing These Two Tournaments’: Juan Martin Del Potro Accepts Reality After an Emotional Farewell Match in Buenos Aires

Published 02/09/2022, 1:34 AM EST

It was a full house at the Court Guillermo Vilas, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Juan Martin del Potro took on his fellow countryman Federico Delbonis in the first round of the Argentina Open. However, his comeback didn’t last long as he lost in straight sets inside 85 minutes.

Argentinian fans have been long waiting to see their hero back in action. The 2009 US Open champion had been out of action for more than two and a half years, owing to numerous injuries to his knee and wrists. Moreover, he had multiple surgeries, which took time to heal.

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The towering Argentine was emotional during his post-match interview. Subsequently, he also hinted about the status of his participation in the next tournament.

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Juan Martin del Potro opens up on his participation at the ATP 500 Rio Open

The 33-year-old had received a wildcard entry to participate in the next week’s Rio Open in Brazil. However, he wasn’t looking match-fit during his first-round contest and was struggling throughout the match.

After the match, he said, “Right now I’m not sure if I’m going to Rio. I had the illusion of playing these two tournaments because in Brazil I could experience something like today. Tomorrow I will discuss it with my team. With or without Rio, after it tennis for me will be a secondary issue.”

#DelPotro: "Right now I'm not sure if I'm going to Rio. I had the illusion of playing these two tournaments because in Brazil I could experience something like today. Tomorrow I will discuss it with my team. With or without Rio, after it tennis for me will be a secondary issue". pic.twitter.com/Qgs9u7u3hC
— Lorenzo Ercoli (@Ladal17) February 9, 2022

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In what was his first match since his appearance at the Queen’s Club in June 2019, the former World Number 3 went down to fellow Argentine Federico Delbonis in straight sets 6-1, 6-3. Juan Martin del Potro looked rusty on his return and didn’t look in the best physical shape either.

With some memorable victories over the years, what are your best moments watching del Potro on the tennis courts? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Vatsal Shah is a tennis author at EssentiallySports. With a Bachelor's degree in engineering, he is a die hard fan of tennis and sports in general. He is an ardent follower of Rafael Nadal and is inspired by his never-say-die attitude.

‘Had the Illusion of Playing These Two Tournaments’: Juan Martin Del Potro Accepts Reality After an Emotional Farewell Match in Buenos Aires

Juan Martin del Potro opens up on his participation at the ATP 500 Rio Open

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