I would have matched Federer and Nadal: Del Potro - UBITENNIS

I would have matched Federer and Nadal: Del Potro

By Pawan Atri
3 Min Read
Juan Martin Del Potro (zimbio)

Former US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro has claimed that he would have emulated World No. 1 Roger Federer and 16-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal at the top of the men’s rankings.

Del Potro, a former World No. 4, won the Mexican Open on Sunday to return to the top-10 of the official ATP rankings. The Argentine, who stunned the tennis world in 2009, when he defeated both Nadal and Federer in successive matches to claim his only Grand Slam title at the US Open has asserted that he would have definitely challenged the great Swiss and the Spanish superstar for the biggest prizes in the game and the top ranking if he hadn’t been troubled by a series of wrist injuries during the course of his career.

“Yes, of course,” he told Spanish media outlet Marca in response to a question if he believed he could have matched the two greats of the sport.

“I not only believed it, but also showed it on court.

“Rafa never lost a Grand Slam semi-final in the manner in which I defeated him.

“And Federer had not lost many finals to players other than Nadal or Novak Djokovic.

“On the tennis aspect, I thought to be able to fight against them but my career changed.

“Almost ten years after, I feel lucky for what I have.”

“Once I was very close to retiring,” Del Porto added.

“Before the last operation, between the third and fourth one.

“I was suffering not only as a tennis player but also as a person, like any person who enters into surgery and gets an anaesthetics without knowing what can happen after.

“I suffered a lot but today I can say that not even when I was world No 4 and in the best moment of my career, I could win a silver medal in Rio and the Davis Cup.

“I don’t know if I would have managed to do it if I didn’t get hurt.

“Every time that I had a wrist injury, I was world No 4 and with the chance to fight for the No 1.

“But all things happen for a reason, I see it like this.”

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