Juan Martin del Potro: On the road to recovery?
What a year, and how many emotions for Juan Martin del Potro. His 2018 was a super season, in which he lived all the seasons of tennis: incredible victories, first times, painful defeats and an injury that ruin the year-end plans. The knee injury he suffered affected his participation in the ATP Finals in London. Del Potro, after the verdict of the doctors, has spoken with excruciating words: "I do not know if I will be able to come back".
In reality, the injury seems to be less severe than expected, certainly much less heavy than the wrist surgeries of the previous years. Delpo may play the Kooyong Classic, which is played from 8th-10th January, before the Australian Open
His season started losing the final of the ASB Classic against Roberto Bautista. Little luck also at the Australian Open, where he came out in the third round against Tomas Berdych. Between February and March, however, came his two victories of 2018: at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel against Kevin Anderson and, above all, in Indian Wells, against Roger Federer.
To date that is his only triumph in an ATP Masters 1000 event. Even in Miami he played well, before being knocked out in the semi-final by the eventual champion John Isner. On clay and on grass he achieved the best results at the French Open, where he was defeated in the semi-finals by Rafael Nadal, and at Wimbledon where he was eliminated again by Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals, at the end of five epic sets.
After nine years, del Potro played a final Slam, once again at the US Open. This time, however, Novak Djokovic blocked his way. He closed the year with two titles in six finals played, and achieved a career-high at no. 3
If the recovery from the umpteenth injury should proceed in the best way, del Potro could become competitive already in the first part of the season. But, most of all, what his fans want is the return on the court of a champion who often must defeat his worst opponent: bad luck.
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