Although he hasn’t played a professional tennis match in over a year and spends his days developing other projects – such as his role as ambassador since Tuesday with the Miami team in the professional padel league — Juan Martin del Potro hopes to make one last lap at the United States Open tennis tournament.

The hard-hitting Argentinian slugger, who triumphed at Flushing Meadows in 2009, told The Associated Press via video call that he hopes to play “one last game” in New York in August — provided, of course, his right knee holds up the shot.

“My goal is to play an official game in this tournament. I don’t know if I’ll be 100% or not, but at least if I’m going to play my last tennis match of my career this year, then I’d like (it) to be…at the United States Open, mentioned the 34-year-old tennis player. I will give everything for one last time, maybe, in my sporting career, and then we will see. God alone will determine if I will be ready or not. »

Del Potro made his mark using his powerful forehand against Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer en route to winning the prestigious men’s title at Flushing Meadows 14 years ago.

“Juan Martin is very popular with US Open fans,” said tournament director Stacey Allaster. He’s a big, yet elegant player, and we’d be very happy to have him with us at this year’s tournament. »

The Argentinian also distinguished himself by being a finalist at the United States Open in 2018, and by finding himself in the semi-finals of four other major tournaments. He also won the Davis Cup title in 2016, and won two Olympic medals. A series of wrist surgeries quickly derailed his career; and most recently, right knee injuries limited him to just one game, in Argentina, between June 2019 and February 2022.