Juan Martin del Potro is one of the greatest athletes of all time from Argentina. Naturally, he would have relationships with many other top Argentine sports stars. In this excerpt from the book by Sebastian Torok “Juan Martin del Potro: The Gentle Giant” (for sale and download here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559920/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_WM8TG0EC6JHBSMRT086P via @amazon) Torok writes of the special bond that del Potro has with NBA basketball great Manu Ginobili.
The other one is someone who del Potro shared moments that he isn’t going to forget. Emanuel Ginobili is someone with whom he shares mutual admiration. Ginobili is an example and guide for del Potro, who professes the same respect towards him, the same respect that the entire Argentine sports community have towards the best basketball player in the history of the country. Ginobili enjoyed an extraordinary career that permitted him to shine in European basketball, in the NBA and as a greater star at the Olympic Games who achieved the ultimate on August 28, 2004. Winning the Olympic gold medal in basketball is something that is almost impossible to achieve unless you are the United States, who have only failed in this quest only three times in the history of the Olympics. The first came at the Munich Olympics in 1972 by the hands of the Soviet Union; the second, when the best teams from around the world were absent from the
boycotted Moscow Olympics of 1980; the third being performed as a work of art from that a group of amazing Argentine players in Athens in 2004.
Ginobili and del Potro shared many glories, including a memorable walk in the Opening Ceremonies of the London Olympics in 2012 and many talks during the 2016 Rio Games. The 2016 Olympics were important for both as it was the Olympic swan song for Ginobili, highlighted by a tremendous Argentinian victory against Brazil, and for del Potro, winning the unexpected silver medal with wins over Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
Manu follows del Potro’s career closely and would watch his matches on television from San Antonio, where he played for the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs.
“I got very excited seeing him and the rest of the team win the Davis Cup and also watching him at the Olympic Games in Rio,” said Ginobili. “I know he went through some difficult times because of his wrist injury, when he was going bad and it generated lots of doubts and uncertainties. Seeing him later playing the way he did and enjoying the moment, I loved it. It gave me great joy. With him we didn’t see each other so many times but we shared lots of time at two Olympic Games and a few meals in Miami when I would go visit Florida and he was there. We had a great time. We shared experiences and talked a little about everything. He’s a very nice guy and his two-year fight with that injury made me value his great 2016 a lot more and get super happy.”
Ginobili is a winner of four NBA Championship rings in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014, all with the Spurs where he formed a magic trio with Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. He is also one of the best ambassadors ever for Argentina. Comparing him and other national sports heroes with del Potro, he said, is something that is not appropriate.
“I think it’s unnecessary to want to rank everything, making lists and that stuff,” said Ginobili. “He gave a Davis Cup for the first time to this country and won two Olympic medals. How can you compare that to someone who does a team sport, one that drove cars or whatever? I don’t see it necessary. He is a monster and we should feel proud of how he is, how he plays and how he represents us apart from enjoying him on the court.”
“Juan Martin del Potro: The Gentle Giant” 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 of Argentina and Haley Hunt of Brookline, Mass.
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, “Cattle To Courts: A History of Tennis In Texas” by Ken McAllister, “Sport of a Lifetime: Enduring Personal Stories From Tennis” by Judy Aydelott, “Trojan Tennis: A History of the Storied Men’s Tennis Program at the University of Southern California” by S. Mark Young, “Absolute Tennis: The Best And Next Way To Play The Game” by Marty Smith, “How To Permanently Erase Negative Self Talk So You Can Be Extraordinary” by Emily Filloramo, “Acing Depression: A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match” by Cliff Richey and Hilaire Richey Kallendorf, “Your Playbook For Beating Depression: Essential Strategies For Managing and Living with Depression” by Cliff Richey and Mary Garrison, “Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection” by Rene Stauffer, “The Days of Roger Federer” by Randy Walker, “Jan Kodes: A Journey To Glory From Behind The Iron Curtain” by Jan Kodes with Peter Kolar, “Tennis Made Easy” by Kelly Gunterman, “On This Day In Tennis History” by Randy Walker, “A Player’s Guide To USTA League Tennis” by Tony Serksnis, “Court Confidential: Inside The World Of Tennis” by Neil Harman, “A Backhanded Gift” by Marshall Jon Fisher, “Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games” by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli (www.Boycott1980.com), “Internet Dating 101: It’s Complicated, But It Doesn’t Have To Be” by Laura Schreffler, “How To Sell Your Screenplay” by Carl Sautter, “Bone Appetit: Gourmet Cooking For Your Dog” by Suzan Anson, “The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According to Hoyle” by Stewart Wolpin among others.
