Juan Martin del Potro and Marin Cilić – only these two tennis players in the years 2006-2019 were able to break the Grand Slam domination of the “Big Five” (Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka). The Argentine won US Open in 2009 and the Croatian five years later. Now the former has shared a shocking confession online.
Juan Martin del Potro told about his nightmare. “I have to take six or seven pills.”
The Argentine played his last matches in 2022. Later he tried to return to the court, but he was prevented from doing so injuries. These troubled him throughout his entire career, and their traces remain to this day.
– My everyday life is not as I would like it to be. I can't play football or padel. It's terrible. I was robbed of the opportunity to do what I loved most, which was playing tennis – said del Potro in a video published on Instagram (quote from the Guardian).
– It's very difficult. There are moments when I have no strength left. I'm not indestructible. I have good and bad moments, but most of the time I have to pretend and keep a good face. Many times I feel terrible. Every day when I wake up I have to take six or seven pills. Stomach guard, anti-inflammatories, one for anxiety. Then the pills made me gain weight, so I was told to stop eating certain things,” he revealed.
The 36-year-old explained that his problems began after knee surgery following an injury suffered at Queen's. – The doctor told me I would play in three months. At the end of the year, I even signed up for three indoor tournaments. From that moment on, I never climbed stairs without pain again. It hurts when I drive a car and often when I go to sleep. It's a never-ending nightmare, he admitted.
Juan Martin del Potro returns to the court. A special match with Novak Djokovic
Nevertheless, the Grand Slam champion wants to say goodbye to the fans with dignity and will play an exhibition match with Djokovic in Buenos Aires in December. – I went on a diet, I'm losing weight, I'm training. I want to come to this match in the best possible shape. This is goodbye. Djokovic he was generous in accepting my invitation. I want to give him all the sympathy I can. If I can be calm and happy on the court for at least one, two, three hours, it will be beautiful, he concluded optimistically.
Juan Martin del Potro won 22 singles and one doubles tournaments during his career. In the ATP rankings, he was in third place. He also won Olympic silver and bronze in singles in Rio de Janeiro and London, respectively. And recently he was mentioned among the candidates for coach Hubert Hurkacz.