Former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro says he is still bothered by pain in his knee as he returns to hitting in the latest stage of his comeback from surgery.
The former world No.3 hasn’t played a competitive match since fracturing his right kneecap at the 2019 Fever-Tree Championships in London which required surgery. He then underwent further surgery in January this year following medical advice after his rehabilitation didn’t go to plan. Del Potro has fractured his kneecap on the Tour twice after also doing it at the Shanghai Masters in 2018.
Despite the setbacks, the injury-stricken Argentine remains determined to return to competitive tennis in the future at some point. Providing an update on his Instagram account, the 31-year-old reiterated that he currently has no schedule concerning when he could start his comeback to the Tour.
“I wanted to tell you that these days I started to hit again,” Del Potro wrote. “The knee still bothers me so we have to see how it evolves. Although I have no schedule, once again I am taking all the necessary steps to continue doing what I love.”
Del Potro, who has recently split with his coach Sebastian Prieto, is currently training at the Argentine Tennis Club in Buenos Aires. Newspaper La Nacion reports that he isn’t moving much at present on the court but continues to hit well, according to a witness they spoke with.
“He does not move much on the court, he takes care of himself, but the impact of the ball is the same as always. He has a crazy timing,” the unnamed witness said.
Since 2010, Del Potro has undergone six different surgeries and has spent nine months or more away from the tour on four separate occasions. The operations he has undergone are one on his left wrist, three on his right wrist and two on his right knee.
Despite his injury woes, Del Potro has still managed to make his mark on the Tour. Highlighted by his triumph at the 2009 US Open. Overall, he has won 13 ATP titles, as well as two Olympic medals. So far in his career he has made more than $25 million in prize money which is more than any other Argentine player – male or female – in history.
Currently ranked 131st in the world, Del Potro will turn 32 on September 23rd.
