An Injury Plagued Sensation

When Argentinean tennis player Juan Martin del Potro upset the then world number one Roger Federer to take the US Open title in 2009, becoming the first ever player to beat both Roger and Rafael Nadal in a Grand Slam, big things were expected of the then 20 year old with a stunning power shot.

Standing at 6 ft 6 inches, del Potro was the epitome of power play that modern tennis has come to be represented with but consistent struggles with injuries in the last three years has seen his career stall somewhat.

A wrist injury in 2010 ruled him out of most of the 2010 calendar season and he was unable to defend the US Open title that he had won the previous year, and the once number four ranked tennis player in the world slipped of the radar and almost disappeared into oblivion.

And now, almost three years to his triumph at Flushing Meadows, after being named as one of the top US Open tips, Juan Martin del Potro has managed to claw his way back to within the top 10 of the ATP rankings. He is currently sitting at 9 but defeat to Spaniard David Ferrer at Wimbledon means that he will not be improving upon his number 9 position.

And although he has managed to break into the top 10 once again, his struggles with injury have not ceased. In the French Open as well, he led Federer by two sets before his knee gave in and by the end of the match, he could barely move.

The Argentine will be back in London again for the Olympic Games as the country looks to him for the singles Gold Medal but for a player of such promise as Juan Martin del Potro, injuries have taken its toll and the fans are left to wonder what might have been. Romantics that have the odd bet on tennis might be tempted to back him in the Olympics, but in reality it will come down to Federer and Djokovic.