Photo : Tennis Canada
At his peak, there was no one in the world Juan Martin del Potro could not blow away with his gigantic forehand.
For a time, it looked like the Tower of Tandil was going to threaten the dominance of the Big Three, as he showed a unique capacity to give them trouble. His 2009 US Open victory sent shockwaves through the tour.
Fun fact, it also remains the most recent Grand Slam men’s singles title won by a non-European.
But nonstop injuries prevented del Potro from ever reaching that level again and this week, the Argentine played what he said would be his final tournament on home soil in Buenos Aires.
As the sun sets of del Potro’s career, fellow players, organizations, and fans took to social media to pay tribute to one of the most beloved players in the game.
Teach me how to say goodbye
Even the tournaments weighed in.
The ATP, among several organizations, put out a call on Twitter for fans to share their favourite del Potro moments. Here’s just a sliver of what they said.
This one was a popular choice.
Many people mentioned the Olympics.
Of course, there was this iconic moment.