Juan Martin del Potro, clearly, is no destiny’s child.
Touted for big things after defeating Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in consecutive matches to win the US Open in 2009, he was hampered by a wrist injury in the months following. He missed several events in 2010 and then decided to have surgery on his right wrist in May.
The big Argentine was world No 4 at the time and when he returned to the circuit after a nine-month break, he had slipped to No 262.
Struggling for confidence and form early on, he battled back to reclaim the No 4 spot last month, despite his left wrist giving him trouble since 2012.
But, like 2010, the wrist injury has made it impossible for him to continue. After pulling out of Dubai, Indian Wells and Miami he has decided to make a visit to the Dr Richard Berger, who performed the earlier surgery on his right wrist.
The news of the latest setback will come as a huge disappointment for tennis fans, who were expecting Del Potro, 26, to play a big part in a possible changing of the guard at the top of men’s tennis this season.
Now, he is unlikely to play again this year, and the comeback could be another long and arduous trek through months, if not years, of frustrations.
One can only wonder what the elite club of men’s tennis, the big four, would have looked like if Del Potro had not suffered these injuries.
If only destiny had been a bit kinder to him.
arizvi@thenational.ae
