The tennis career of Juan Martin del Potro continues to be showered in doubt as it was announced that the 2009 U.S. Open champion has withdrawn from the 2020 Delray Beach Open in Florida.
Del Potro has not played a match since he fractured his kneecap at the grass-court event in Queens last June in London. The previous October, he also fractured his kneecap at the 2018 Shanghai Masters, after a celebrated return to tennis after suffering multiple wrist surgeries by winning the 2016 Olympic silver medal and the Davis Cup for his native Argentina and reaching the final of the U.S. Open in 2018.
“Our positive thoughts are with Juan Martin as he continues his recovery,” said Mark Baron, Tournament Director for the Delray Beach Open. “We look forward to many years of seeing him play healthy tennis in Delray Beach.”
There are doubts among many Argentine sports journalists on if del Potro will ever be able to play again as his condition and status remain very secretive.
While del Potro will not be playing in the near future it seems, del Potro fans can sit get some sort of a fix on this Argentine sporting legend via a new English-language book that is due out in February “The Gentle Giant” by Sebastien Torok of the Argentine newspaper La Nacion. The book, that is available for sale now here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559920/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_zpHkEb6DBDBXH, tells the story of one of Argentina’s greatest tennis players, the most important of his generation. After winning the 2009 U.S. Open, defeating Roger Federer in a glorious five-set final, del Potro was poised to take over the tennis world. However, wrist problems developed and del Potro endured three surgeries over fifteen months. One of the world’s most popular players, del Potro’s fan base grew as he made his comeback—watching him win his second Olympic medal in Rio in 2016, where he once lost to Andy Murray, but won the hearts of millions around the world. He followed up by leading Argentina to victory in the Davis Cup. Described as the “Gentle Giant,” del Potro has the sensitivity to comfort a ball girl hit during a match, to stop in the middle of the game to gaze at a butterfly, and to accompany a young fan in the last days of his life. However, when he grips the racket, he becomes one of the most destructive strikers of a tennis ball.
Delray Beach’s complete singles acceptance list includes the following ATP Tour stars: Radu Albot (MDA), Damir Dzumhur (BIH), Kyle Edmund (GBR), Taylor Fritz (USA), Ugo Humbert (FRA), Steve Johnson (USA), Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB), Soonwoo Kwon (KOR), Nick Kyrgios (AUS), Adrian Mannarino (FRA), Mackenzie McDonald (USA), John Millman (AUS), Kei Nishikori (JPN), Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN), Reilly Opelka (USA), Tommy Paul (USA), Milos Raonic (CAN), Tennys Sandgren (USA), Andreas Seppi (ITA), Cedrik-Marcel Stebe (GER), Jordan Thompson (AUS), Frances Tiafoe (USA), and Yasutaka Uchiyama (JPN).
The 10-day tournament will open Valentine’s Day weekend with the ATP Champions Tour team event and a special exhibition match starring local teen tennis star Coco Gauff. The Team Europe vs Team World match-up will showcase tennis legends David Ferrer, James Blake, Tommy Haas, Marcos Baghdatis and other fan-favorites.
Individual tickets for all sessions are on sale now and start as low as $30. See the full lineup of offers, parties, special events, food and beverage options and more at YellowTennisBall.com or call 561-330-6000.
