by Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
Juan Martín del Potro will return to the US Open!
On Tuesday, September 7, sixteen days before his 33rd birthday, del Potro will return to the Grand Slam tournament that he won in 2009 as he continues to attempt to return to pro tennis after multiple knee surgeries, reports Argentine journalist Sebastian Torok, also the author of the biography of del Potro called “The Gentle Giant.”
Del Potro, who has not competed since June of 2019 since he injured his right knee on the grass courts at the Queen’s Club tournament in Britain, is attempting to add fuel to his inspiration to return to pro tennis by attending the U.S. Open and has practice sessions scheduled with John McEnroe.
“Juan Martin thought it was a good way to show himself in public, to energize himself with the atmosphere of the U.S. Open as he recovers,” said Torok. “He has a very good relationship with McEnroe.”
Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York was the site of del Potro’s greatest triumph when he defeated Roger Federer in a five-set final to win his only major singles title to date. The Argentine also reached the singles final in 2018, losing to Novak Djokovic, which was the last time del Potro played at the U.S. Open.
The book “Juan Martin del Potro: The Gentle Giant” by Torok is the first English-language book on Argentine tennis great. For sale and download here via amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559920/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_lRArEbY4VMWP3 the book tells the story of one of Argentina’s greatest tennis players and the most important of his generation. After winning the 2009 U.S. Open, defeating Roger Federer in a glorious five-set final, del Potro was poised to take over the tennis world. However, wrist problems developed and del Potro endured three surgeries over 15 months. One of the world’s most popular players, del Potro’s fan base grew as he made his comeback—watching him win his second Olympic medal in Rio in 2016, where he once lost to Andy Murray, but won the hearts of millions around the world. He followed up by leading Argentina to victory in the Davis Cup. Described as the “Gentle Giant,” del Potro has the sensitivity to comfort a ball girl hit during a match, to stop in the middle of the game to gaze at a butterfly, and to accompany a young fan in the last days of his life. However, when he grips the racket, he becomes one of the most destructive strikers of a tennis ball.
“This book is an unprecedented trip to the emotional and sporting aspect of one of the best tennis players of the last decade,” said Torok, the author of the book, an internationally regarded tennis writer for La Nacion and with ESPN in Argentina. “Juan Martin del Potro is someone who lived with tragedy since his childhood, a tennis player who hit bottom and had the strength to persevere multiple times. This book was created with more than 70 interviews of people who, in one way or another, had to do with the life of del Potro. I am very excited and proud that this book is now available in English around the world.”
The original version of the book was published in Spanish under the title “El Milagro Del Potro.” The English language book was translated by Luis Rossi and Haley Hunt.
The book is published by New Chapter Press. Founded in 1987, New Chapter Press (www.NewChapterMedia.com) is also the publisher of “The Greatest Tennis Matches of All-Time” by Steve Flink, “The Education of a Tennis Player” by Rod Laver with Bud Collins, “The Secrets of Spanish Tennis” by Chris Lewit, “The Bud Collins History of Tennis” by Bud Collins, “The Pros: The Forgotten Era Of Tennis” by Peter Underwood, “The Wimbledon Final That Never Was” by Sidney Wood, “Titanic: The Tennis Story” by Lindsay Gibbs, “Macci Magic: Extracting Greatness From Yourself And Others” by Rick Macci with Jim Martz, “Andy Murray, Wimbledon Champion: The Full Extraordinary Story” by Mark Hodgkinson among many others.
