Juan Martin del Potro refuses to give up hope of competing at US Open one more time

Juan Martin del Potro says that he is refusing to give up hope that he could compete at the US Open once more as he withdraws from this year's slam to undergo a new treatment on his knee.

2009 US Open champion del Potro had been hoping to play at this year's US Open after last competing in the sport on home soil at the Argentina Open in February 2022, where he lost in the first round.

The 34-year-old has been dealing with injuries over recent years, and hinted at retirement a year and a half ago, citing the pain in his knee as a reason. However, he has since been seen training in an attempt to make the 2023 Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows, but was ultimately forced to give up the dream for this year.

In a statement released in Spanish last week, del Potro said that "my body is not 100 per cent with me to let me feel comfortable [playing]."

In a recent interview with tennis.com, del Potro spoke of his decision to withdraw.

"Emotionally it was really difficult for me because every time that I speak about the US Open, it means a lot to myself. At the beginning of the year, I was talking with my team, with my doctors, trying to see the option to be ready for the Open, at least for the last time in my career.

"They support me with the idea. At the end, every time that I push hard, my leg, and my knee, and I was trying to push hard, the pain increased a lot in my training sessions. I don’t want to make my knee worse than I have it now. So I decided to quit for this year’s US Open," he said.

Del Potro will now undergo a new treatment on his knee. Although the odds are against him, he still hopes to compete one more time at his beloved US Open, where he also reached the final in 2018.

"I’m going to be treating the knee with a different method in the next few weeks. I don’t know what could happen next to me. But the US Open means everything for my heart, for my career, for my life. And if there is a small chance to come back and play one day, I will do 100 per cent my best to do it," he continued.

The Argentinian also spoke of who he will be keeping an eye on at this year's New York major and in general, saying that he is excited to watch world No. 1 and defending US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz.

"I think Carlitos Alcaraz. He hit his forehand really strong too. He has also a potential to hit better in the future years. I’m crazy about his game, about his charisma. I like a lot the way that he moves in the court. And I think he’s making very good things for the sport," he said.