Juan Martin del Potro hasn’t performed a tennis match in additional than a yr and spends a lot of his time with a Pro Padel League staff in Miami, however he’s hoping for one closing hurrah on the US Open.
The huge hitter from Argentina, who gained the trophy at Flushing Meadows in 2009, introduced on Tuesday that he needs to “play a farewell match” there in August — if his problematic proper knee permits it.
“My goal is to be ready to play an official match in the tournament. I don’t know if I will be 100% or not but, at least, if my last tennis match ever has to be this year, I want it to be at the US Open,” the 34-year-old mentioned.
“I will work hard for the last time, maybe, in my career, and then you never know. God will decide if I’m ready or not.”
He is finest recognized for utilizing his booming forehand to beat Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer en path to claiming the championship in New York 14 years in the past.
“Juan Martin is a true favourite of US Open fans,” match director Stacey Allaster mentioned. “He is a tremendous, yet gracious, competitor and we would be thrilled for this former champion to join us at this year’s tournament.”
A sequence of wrist operations and, extra just lately, accidents to his proper knee stopped him including to his one Grand Slam however he’s a strategic adviser of the possession group for Miami’s franchise within the seven-team Pro Padel League, which begins in May.
“I like to play,” he mentioned. “My big mistake is that I want to play padel (like) a tennis player, but when you hit hard, you will lose the point. It’s completely different, tennis and padel. I need to be coached to improve.”
Tennis teaching may be one thing he tries down the highway, however not for now in any formal method. He does often provide assist to gamers who attain out.
“They just want to know how to hit the best forehand ever,” he mentioned with a smile.
In Miami just lately – Del Potro splits his time between there and Argentina – he met up for a espresso with countrywoman Gabriela Sabatini.
“We said, ‘OK, let’s go hit some balls.’ We played together for an hour and it felt like I played a five-hour match,” del Potro mentioned. “I was completely exhausted.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
