2009 US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potroofficially hung up his racquet in December with a farewell exhibition in Buenos Aires, where none other than Novak Djokovic made a surprise appearance to honor his longtime friend. Since stepping away from competition, the Argentine star remains closely tied to the sport in new ways.
During a recent visit to the Miami Open, Del Potro was spotted cheering on Djokovic alongside Serena Williams. While in town, he sat down for a light-hearted interview with El Gráfico, where he joined fellow Argentine legend and 1990 US Open champion Gabriela Sabatini.
In the interview, Del Potro took part in a blind top 5 challenge—ranking greatest tennis players without knowing which name was coming next. Sabatini would name a player, and Delpo had to lock in a ranking spot without knowing who else was still to come.
First up, he placed Carlos Alcaraz at No. 4. “I’ll put him fourth just in case the other three (Nadal, Djokovic, and Federer) show up,” the Argentine said. “Carlitos is my favorite after them”. He then slotted Andy Murray into the fifth and final spot on the list.
That’s when the challenge took a twist. Up next was Brazilian icon Guga Kuerten, a surprise inclusion that disrupted Del Potro’s Big 3 podium plan. “No! Del Potro exclaimed. Guga can be third. Yes, Guga third”.
Then came Rafael Nadal, prompting a moment of hesitation. “Now I’m scared that number one could be anyone, but I’ll take the risk. I’ll put him in the number two spot”. Finally, Novak Djokovic rounded out the list—automatically landing at No. 1, a result that clearly satisfied Del Potro. “That turned out really well“.
Del Potro reflects on his toughest loss
While Del Potro’s crowning moment came in that unforgettable 2009 US Open victory over Roger Federer, he also came painfully close to adding Roland Garros and Wimbledon to his résumé. At the French Open, he reached the semifinals twice—in 2009 and 2018—while his deepest Wimbledon run came in 2013, when he fell to Federer in the semis.
Speaking in the French Open’s Memories of a Champion series, published on March 28, Del Potro revealed that his semifinal loss to Federer in 2009 still stings. “I have many memories, memories of winning tournaments, but also about losing important matches. Going down to Federer at Roland-Garros in 2009 was very painful,” he said. “That was the year Roger became champion, though I also fancied my chances that year”.