In the splendid setting of the Estadio Mary Terán de Weiss, which will hold 15 thousand spectators, Juan Martin Del Potro gave farewell to tennis in a match against his friend and rival Novak Djokovic.
And precisely for the exhibition against the Argentine, the 24-time Grand Slam champion shared deep thoughts about his emotions, especially for the end of the challenges with his greatest rivals, such as Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and his new coach Andy Murray.
“I’m a little sad about the farewell of my greatest rivals. A part of me, tennis-wise, goes with them, but I continue to look for that motivation. Now I work with a new coach, one of my greatest rivals, who inspires me to see if we can do great things in our sport,” he said.
Novak Djokovic, Buenos Aires 2024© Stream screenshot
The Serb said how it was a great pleasure for him to return to South America, after 11 years. But at the same time he stressed how it was something very special to be here with his friend Juan Martin.
“It was a great honor when he decided to accompany him in his last moment. I can imagine he is feeling great emotions right now. I did everything I could to live this moment with him in the best possible way, together with all the Argentine people. I feel at home. I can’t wait to play and I’m very happy. His career could have been different without the injuries,” explained the Serb.
Nole stressed that it was a very easy decision to accept Delpo’s invitation, analyzing it as a very special and emotional moment both for himself and for the rivalry he experienced with the Argentine champion.
“The rivalry we have is very big also because we have lived many moments. In the last period our friendship is more predominant than the simple rivalry. We are here to celebrate Juan Martin’s career,” added Nole.
Novak Djokovic, Doha 2024© Stream screenshot
Djokovic also said Juan Martin’s career could have been greater if he had not had knee injuries. Nole said he has had serious injuries, but not as unfortunate as him.
“Injuries are the greatest rival of a professional athlete, when you are not healthy you cannot do the things you dedicate your life to. It’s sad everything I saw with Delpo, but today we are here to celebrate,” he added.
Meanwhile, Djokovic, in an interview with Sportweek of the Gazzetta dello Sport, analyzed his season, in which he obtained the much-coveted result in Paris 2024: the Olympic gold medal.
“Gold was a dream, therefore a priority. It was my great ambition for many years, despite the failed attempts, with the three semi-finals lost and the bronze in the first participation in 2008. So I told myself that, at 37, it was perhaps the last chance to put this medal around my neck, especially at Roland Garros, a field very familiar to me. After the knee surgery and the final at Wimbledon, I felt ready and I think I demonstrated it with my performances at the Olympics. In short, I made a dream come true and it is certainly one of the best moments, if not the best, of my career,” he analyzed.
Novak Djokovic© Australian Open/Instagram – Fair Use
Nole was then asked what the secret is to winning and being at the top for so many years, as he has managed to do throughout his career. The Serbian champion said how you need love and passion for this sport first of all, otherwise it’s not worth picking up a racket, even if it’s just to play with your children or friends. Nole said how he truly loves tennis from the bottom of his heart. But at the same time he stressed how the competition requires maximum professionalism and dedication.
“For me it’s essential to feel the support of my family, to be able to continue. And I want to continue writing the history of this sport, even if I still consider myself as a student. Tennis has given me so much and I feel lucky to be able to continue competing at the highest levels. As long as I can stay at the top, I will continue to play. And then I like the fact that, thanks to my sport, I can convey messages that I consider important, for the sport and for the planet,” he said.
We recall the Serbian champion will begin the 2025 winter preparation – as mentioned at the beginning of the article – with Andy Murray, his new coach. The Serbian champion and the Scotsman have been friends and rivals since they took their first steps on the ATP Tour, in fact, since the Juniors: this is why the choice of the 24-time Slam champion seems right, precisely to be able to count on a person who knows him and who knows the dynamics of the Tour and its protagonists perfectly. A perfect change.
Tennis World USA