Former Grand Slam champion Juan Martin del Potro details ‘never-ending nightmare’ since retiring

Former Grand Slam champion Juan Martin del Potro details ‘never-ending nightmare’ since retiring

Former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro has opened up on how injuries have turned his life into a ‘never-ending nightmare’.

The 36-year-old – who reached a career-high of world No 3 – not played a competitive match since 2022, when he underwent a fifth knee surgery and told the world he may never return to the court.

Del Potro’s problems with his knee have left him unable to run or climb stairs or kick a ball.

After eight surgeries, he now starts his days with ‘six to eight pills’ including one for anxiety. The 36-year-old has also been told that he may remain in this ‘nightmare’ until he is 50.

It’s terrible. I hope this will finish someday, because I want to live my life without pain,’ he said. 

‘It hurts many times when I try to sleep, when I turn on my side, or when I wake up… it’s like a never-ending nightmare’

Juan Martin del Potro has revealed how injuries turned his life into a ‘never-ending nightmare’ 

The Argentine, who is still just 36 years old, beat Roger Federer to win the 2009 US Open

The Argentine, who is still just 36 years old, beat Roger Federer to win the 2009 US Open

The Argentine, who beat Roger Federer to win the 2009 US Open, is due to take on Novak Djokovic in a farewell exhibition match in Buenos Aires on Sunday.

Ahead of his return to the court, Del Potro detailed the heartbreaking battle with injuries that curtailed his fine career.

‘Nobody knew this, but the day after I played my last match against (Federico) Delbonis (in 2022), I took a flight to Switzerland and I had my fifth knee surgery,’ Del Potro said in an Instagram video.

‘Since that, I never made my surgeries public again as I found some peace in the press conference before that match against Federico, telling it would probably be my last match. 

‘People stopped asking me constantly when I would comeback and play again. I did all this process secretly and if it worked I would announce that I would come back.

‘I was in Switzerland for two months in a village close to Basel trying to rehabilitate and it didn’t work. After two-and-a-half months, I had my sixth surgery. I went back to the USA. More rehab, over 100 injections everywhere. Infiltrations … daily suffering. It’s been my life since that match vs. Federico.’

Del Potro revealed that, after his first surgery in June 2019, he was told he would return to the court within three months.

Since then, though, ‘I’ve never been able to go up a set of stairs without pain’ and his life has turned into ‘a never-ending nightmare’

‘I’m trying daily to find solutions and alternatives for, but I can’t find them,’ he said. ‘It all started with that first surgery … every time I think about it, it stirs up so much bad emotion; it makes me really angry, very frustrated, but I can’t change it. 

‘My daily life isn’t what I would like it to be. I can’t play (soccer), I can’t play Padel. It’s terrible. They took me the chance to do what I loved the most, which was to play tennis.

'It’s terrible. I hope this will finish someday, because I want to live my life without pain,' he said

‘It’s terrible. I hope this will finish someday, because I want to live my life without pain,’ he said

Del Potro - who reached a career-high of world No 3 - not played a competitive match since 2022

Del Potro – who reached a career-high of world No 3 – not played a competitive match since 2022 

‘It’s very tough. There are moments where I have no more strength. I’m not indestructible. I have good things, bad things, but most of the times I have to fake it and put a good face, but many times I feel terrible.’

Del Potro conceded that he has been defeated by the problems with his knee. 

‘I felt so powerful when facing those obstacles, but after all I understood that I’m not that strong. That knee beat me,’ he said.

‘I had eight surgeries, with doctors all around the world. Every time they gave me the anesthetic, I hoped that the problem would be solved and after two to three months, I was always calling the doctors to tell them that the surgery didn’t work.

‘There are doctors that tell me that I can put a prosthesis so I can regain some life quality. But others tell my that I’m too young for a prosthesis. They tell me to wait until I’m 50.

‘But since I was 31, I can’t run, I can’t climb stairs, can’t kick a ball, never played tennis again. I need to wait 15 years more of this? It’s terrible. I hope this will finish someday, because I want to live my life without pain.’

Del Potro will return to the court on December 1 against Djokovic for his ‘match to say goodbye’.

‘I started my diet, I’m losing weight, I’m training. I want to arrive at that match in the best shape possible. It’s a match to say goodbye,’ he continued. ‘Djokovic was very generous in accepting my invitation. I want to give him all the love possible. If at least for one, two or three hours I can be at peace and happy on a tennis court, it will be beautiful.’

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