Juan Martin del Potro said that he still hopes to return to tennis in the summer after he will return to the surgical table this week.
Through social media, the 2009 US Open champion announced that he would undergo surgery on his knee for the fourth time in his career. He hasn’t played since Queen’s Club Championships season 2019 in London. At the tournament, he seriously injured his knee by breaking his kneecap for the second time in his career. He suffered the same injury in the 2018 Shanghai season.
After Queen’s Club, the Argentinian national has undergone a number of operations and is also reported to have undergone BMAC (Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate), a procedure which involves collecting regenerative stem cells from a person’s body, then injecting them into the affected area to aid recovery. Despite all these efforts, he continued to be troubled with his knees.
READ ALSO : Simona Halep dreams of winning an Olympic gold medal
“I have consulted with dr. Jorge Chahla and the news is that tomorrow (Tuesday, 24/3) I will have another operation on my knee,” Juan Martin del Potro wrote.
“We have tried conservative therapy, but the pain is still lingering.”
The former world number 3 stated that the decision to face a scalpel was sudden enough to maximize the chances of participating in the Olympics which this season will be held in Tokyo. The tennis player who won the silver medal in the previous 2016 Olympics has told reporters that he aims to be ready in time to compete in the Olympics which start on July 24.
Despite recent setbacks, the 32-year-old says he has not given up on pursuing his future career and takes inspiration from his late father, Daniel, who passed away in January.
“Of course, the last few weeks have not been easy for me. Everything has been tough since my father died. However, I felt the power he sent. I found one day, came to my senses, and called the doctor. I know I have to try again. I hope I can overcome this painful situation. I will not stop trying, “continued del Potro.
The next operation will be the eighth operation in the Argentine tennis player’s career, namely four knee operations, one right wrist operation and three left wrist operations.
To date, del Potro has bagged 22 titles and won bigger prize money than any other Argentine in history.
