Juan Martín del Potro reveals how his life has been since he got injured and thanks Djokovic

Juan Martín del Potro, former ATP no. 3 in 2018 and winner of the 2009 US Open, one of the only tennis players able to rival Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic during the "big three" era, stopped playing tennis in 2022.

The 36-year-old Argentinian has not played since, despite failed comebacks, and recently announced a farewell friendly match against his biggest rival/friend Novak Djokovic in Buenos Aires, on Sunday, December 1.

Del Potro has suffered from several knee injuries during his career, and the day after his final game against Federico Delbonis in 2022, he had his 5th surgery. He hoped to recover and play again, but that never happened. His life has been in constant pain since.

In a long, emotional video, del Potro has told how "his life has been a nightmare", and he can't live a normal life: taking pills for the pain and anxiety, suffering every time he go up stairs, and of course making it impossible for him to play tennis.

"There are doctors that tell me that I can put a prosthesis I regain some life quality. But others tell my that I'm too young for a prosthesis. They tell me to wait until I'm 50. But man, since I'm 31 years old that I can't run, I can't climb stairs, can't kick a ball, never played tennis again. Do I need to wait 15 years more of this so I can live more or less good at 60?"

Del Potro will meet Djokovic again for the final time on a tennis court this Sunday

Del Potro has started training and being on diet, "I want to arrive the best way possible, but this is an event to say farewell, there is no going back now, and Djokovic was very generous in accepting".

"To me, more than that personal moment, I want him to get a lot of love from the people and Argentinian fans. And if for one, two or three hours I can have some peace with my leg and enjoy some on a tennis court, it would be beautiful."