Argentina Open organizers confirmed on Monday through social media the long-awaited comeback to competitive tennis of the 2009 U.S. Open champion, Juan Martin del Potro, with a main draw wild card into his home event.
The ATP 250 tournament will be held at the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club, running between February 5th to the 13th, played on clay.
The 33-year-old made his last appearance at an ATP event in 2019 when he contested the cinch Championships at the Queen’s Club held in London.
The Argentine played and won his match against Canada’s Denis Shapovalov 7-5, 6-4, but hurt his knee, the same area where he had sustained an injury while competing in the 2018 Shanghai ATP Masters 1000.
Ever since, the former world number three underwent four surgeries over the last two years and a half, starting a slow recovering process.
Last June, as part of his physical recovery, he began to test himself on court; most recently, he practiced with fellow countrymen Juan Ignacio Londero and World No. 14 Diego Schwartzman.
The latter is the tournament’s reigning champion, having defeated compatriot Francisco Cerundolo in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2 at the Guillermo Vilas tennis court.
Del Potro, a 22-time ATP titlist, is also set to play at the ATP 500 Rio Open presented by Claro, running from February 12-20.
He will join the likes of World No. 6 Matteo Berrettini, Norway’s number one racquet Casper Ruud, World No. 37 Dominic Thiem, and young Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz, ranked No. 29 in the ATP Rankings with only 18 years old.
Back in 2016, the city of Rio de Janeiro, a host to the Olympic games, saw Juan Martin becoming an Olympic silver singles medalist, outlasting Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in the same week - one of the greatest achievements in his professional career.
That same year, and against the odds, he returned to tennis after his third left wrist surgery.
In the final, Andy Murray beat del Potro 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5.
“I’m so tired,” he said after the match. “Too many things in only one week. But this will be for the rest of my life in my mind.”
Previously, he won the bronze singles medal at London 2012 by toppling Djokovic 7-5 6-4.