WATCH: ‘Emotional’ Novak Djokovic says ‘great person, great rival’ Juan Martin del Potro is an ‘example’ for everyone

Novak Djokovic locked horns with Juan Martin del Potro in the exhibition match, The Last Challenge, in Buenos Aires.

WATCH: ‘Emotional’ Novak Djokovic says ‘great person, great rival’ Juan Martin del Potro is an ‘example’ for everyone

Novak Djokovic, Juan Martin del Potro (Image via X)

Juan Martin del Potro played his farewell match on December 1 in Buenos Aires. Although the 2022 Argentina Open was the last official match of his career, he wanted to play another match to bid his goodbye to tennis in a proper way.

There were emotional scenes when Novak Djokovic let him win the final point and eventually the match 6-4, 7-5. Del Potro was in tears and so was Djokovic who later had so many good things to talk about the 36-year-old.

YouTube video

Like everyone here in this stadium, I am very emotional today. I am also grateful for being able to play with my friend, with a great person and a great player, as well as a great rival.

Novak Djokovic said after the match

Del Potro met Djokovic on the ATP Tour 20 times and won four matches. Their last ATP match was in the quarterfinal of the 2019 Rome Open which Djokovic won in three sets.

FS Video

I do not know a person who does not love Juan Martin del Potro. Everyone loves him very much. I come from a country that has a culture with those values, that defines a person by how they behave and the professionalism they have, but it is always important to have respect and feel that life in the eyes, in the heart, in the soul. Juan Martin is an example for all of us, and his greatest victory in life is being a wonderful person.

Novak Djokovic added

Watch the video here:

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Juan Martin del Potro reached his career-high ranking of No. 3 but he couldn’t enjoy it for much longer. The knee injury that he suffered at the Queen’s Club Championships in 2019 kept him on the sidelines and eventually forced him to retire.

Juan Martin del Potro
Juan Martin del Potro (Image via X)

These last few days I have tried to think less about it. In the future, I will see with doctors what the best solution is for me.

Juan Martin del Potro said on Telefe ahead of the exhibition match
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Del Potro won his first and only Grand Slam trophy at the 2009 US Open with a five-set win over Roger Federer. Apart from the major, he has also won two medals at the Olympic Games in London and Rio. Del Potro was also a part of Argentina’s Davis Cup-winning team in 2016.