US Open winner 2009 Juan Martin del Potro withdraws from this year’s competition
The last year’s winner Juan Martin del Potro announced his withdrawal from the upcoming final major of the season, the United States Open tennis tournament 2010 which is going to start within a week in the city of New York. Potro on Saturday while clarifying on his announcement said, “I am still not completely fit to compete at the top level after having a wrist surgery during the month of May this season.”
As a result of this announcement, Juan Martin del Potro has registered his name as the third United States Open winner from the men’s side in the 42-year-Open era who won’t be able to defend his trophy. Del Potro’s news came just a day after the top-ranked American from the women’s side, Serena Williams became the first number one player in the 35-year history of the women’s rankings to skip the United States Open tournament. The doctor has advised her to stay away from the court in order to recover from her foot injury.
The 6 feet 6 inches tall Juan has not participated in any tour since the hard court Australian Open tournament earlier in January this year as a result of his wrist injury. The 21-year-old Argentinean tennis ace from the men’s side had gone through a surgery back in May, then recently returned on the practice courts in hopes of participating at the Flushing Meadows in New York, where he captured his first Grand Slam title a year ago by defeating the current number one Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals and the Swiss tennis master, Roger Federer in the final battle.
Juan Martin del Potro in an interview said that he is extremely sad over his recent withdrawal from the final major of the season, which is starting from the 30th of this month.
“I have just started playing in the last two weeks and therefore I am not in the form to compete at the top level,” said the 2009 US Open champion. “I will definitely come back strongly to play at the Flushing Meadows next year and for now I wish all the very best to the rest of the players participating in New York as well as the organizers of the competition,” he added.
Since 1968, only two players from the men’s side couldn’t defend their United States Open trophy; Ken Rosewall back in 1971 and the American tennis ace, Pete Sampras back in 2003. Sampras announced his retirement from the professional game of tennis after capturing the United States Open title back in 2002.
The Argentinean’s right wrist has been an issue since the last season as he withdrew from the second round of the Shanghai Masters during the month of October last year due to tendinitis in his wrist. Later on in January, he pulled out of an exhibition championship just a few days prior to the start of the hard court Australian Open tournament, again as a result of his wrist problem.
He was kicked out in the fourth round at Melbourne, and hasn’t participated in a championship since then. Del Potro is ranked number nine this week. However he will definitely go down in the rankings after the end of United States Open championship in New York.
The 2003 United States Open winner, Andy Roddick while commenting on his recent announcement said, “He made the right decision of missing the US Open this year as it would have been extremely tough for him to come back and straight away play a Grand Slam tournament as his first come back competition”.
Apart from del Potro, the female tennis ace Serena Williams injured her right foot shortly after capturing the grass court Grand Slam title last month at the All England Club and will not be able to make it to the US Open this year. the American major competition will be without the two time US Open winner Justine Henin as well. Three other former United States Open champions namely Maria Sharapova, Venus Williams as well as Kim Clijsters have also been recently reported as injured.
Two other players from the men’s side, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a tenth ranked player and Tommy Haas also withdrew from the competition on Friday.
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