“The World Cup has me questioning my mental health,” fans react hilariously as video of a nervous Juan Martin del Potro watching the FIFA World Cup surfaces
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Juan Martin del Potro with his 2009 US Open trophy
Sporting events, especially team events are incredibly anxiety-inducing. People are constantly on the edge of their seats, hoping and praying that their favorite team wins, cheering themselves hoarse. It appears that this nerve-wracking feeling is quite universal, and seasoned sportsmen themselves aren’t immune to it. This was proven when a rather short video of a very anxious Juan Martin del Potro, watching the World Cup match between Netherlands and Argentina surfaced online.
British tennis player Heather Watson shared a 7-second long video showing a nervous del Potro completely transfixed at the match between the Dutch and his home country. For those uninitiated, Argentina is one of the most famous football nations, having produced the likes of Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi – the current national team captain. Delpo, who in 2016, led Argentina to victory at the Davis Cup, probably understood the magnitude of the expectations placed on the shoulders of the footballers.
Heather Watson captioned the clip “@delpotrojuan is more stressed than 2009 @usopen right now! Can we get a towel & a sick bucket over here please for the extra time ?.” This, of course, was a reference to one of the greatest moments of the Argentine’s career: him defeating 5-time defending champion Roger Federer in a stellar 5-set battle at the Flushing Meadows. Watson humorously pointed out that del Potro was more stressed about this match than he had been at the career-defining Grand Slam final of 2009.
Watson also tagged the location on the tweet, pinning Necker Island. Necker Island is the private property of Sir Richard Branson – chairman of the Virgin Group. The islands operate as a luxury resort, and the presence of professional cameramen (as spotted in the background of the video) might suggest that this was a planned retreat of some sort.
Also Read: “I fell in love with it by accident,” Novak Djokovic recalls how he got inspired to play tennis
Twitter reacts to del Potro’s nervousness
Tennis and football fans on Twitter had a field day watching a professional sportsman sharing their anxieties. This resulted in some hilarious takes. The video was shot when the two countries were tied at 2-2. Fortunately for Delpo and the fans, Argentina won on penalty kicks and moved on to the semifinals. However, it didn’t stop a fan from saying “the World Cup has me questioning my mental health.”
Some fans were also quick to point out that the imposing del Potro who stands at 6 feet 6 inches tall, would have been a helpful addition to the team as they were playing against the Dutch, who happens to be a rather tall race. “They could use his height at the back now with the giants Holland have thrown on” read one tweet.
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Aradhana Nayak
(189 Articles Published)