Juan Martín del Potro facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Juan Martín del Potro

Del Potro after winning the 2018 Indian Wells Masters
Country (sports)	Argentina
Residence	Tandil, Argentina
Born	(1988-09-23) 23 September 1988 (age 36) Tandil, Argentina
Height	1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)
Turned pro	2005
Retired	2022
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money	US$25,896,046  18th all-time leader in earnings
Singles
Career record	439–174 (71.62%) (71.62%)
Career titles	22
Highest ranking	No. 3 (13 August 2018)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	QF (2009, 2012)
French Open	SF (2009, 2018)
Wimbledon	SF (2013)
US Open	W (2009)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	F (2009)
Olympic Games	F (2016)
Doubles
Career record	41–44 (48.24%) (48.24%)
Career titles	1
Highest ranking	No. 105 (25 May 2009)
Grand Slam doubles results
French Open	1R (2006, 2007)
Wimbledon	1R (2007, 2008)
Team competitions
Davis Cup	W (2016)
Medal record Representing  Argentina Olympic Games Silver 2016 Rio de Janeiro Singles Bronze 2012 London Singles

Juan Martín del Potro (born 23 September 1988) is an Argentine former professional tennis player. He is famous for his powerful style of play.

One of del Potro's biggest wins was a major title at the 2009 US Open. He beat top players like Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer to win this championship. He also reached the final of the 2018 US Open.

Del Potro won an Olympic silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. He also earned a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics. In 2018, he won the Indian Wells tournament. He also helped Argentina win their first 2016 Davis Cup title.

Throughout his career, del Potro won 22 singles titles and one doubles title. However, his career was often affected by many wrist and knee injuries. He first reached the top 10 in the ATP rankings in 2008. In August 2018, he reached his highest ranking of world No. 3. He officially retired from professional tennis in 2022.

Early Life and Tennis Beginnings

Juan Martín del Potro was born in Tandil, Argentina. His father, Daniel del Potro, was a veterinarian and played rugby union. His mother, Patricia Lucas, is a teacher. He also has a younger sister named Julieta.

Del Potro speaks Spanish, English, and some Italian. Besides tennis, he loves playing association football. He supports the Boca Juniors team in Argentina and Juventus in Italy.

He started playing tennis at age seven with coach Marcelo Gómez. His talent was noticed by former Italian tennis player Ugo Colombini. Colombini became his agent and close friend. Del Potro once said he dreamed of winning a Grand Slam and the Davis Cup. He later achieved both of these big goals.

Tennis Career Highlights

Junior Years and Early Professional Career

Del Potro played his first junior match in 2003 when he was 14. In 2002, he won the Orange Bowl 14s title. He beat Marin Čilić on his way to the final. By January 2005, he was ranked No. 3 in the junior world rankings.

In 2004, at age 15, del Potro won his first senior match. He became a professional player in June 2005. By the end of 2005, his world ranking had jumped to No. 157. He was the youngest player in the top 200 that year.

Breaking into the Top 100 (2006)

In 2006, del Potro played his first ATP Tour event. He qualified for his first major tournament at the 2006 French Open. He also played in his first US Open main draw.

He reached the quarterfinals of the 2006 Swiss Indoors in Basel. Del Potro finished 2006 as the youngest player in the top 100. He was 18 years and 2 months old.

Climbing to the Top 50 (2007)

Del Potro at the 2007 Australian Open

Del Potro started 2007 by reaching his first ATP semifinal in Adelaide, Australia. He played for Argentina in the Davis Cup and helped his country reach the quarterfinals.

He reached the fourth round of the Miami Open. There, he beat three players ranked in the top 50. At his first Wimbledon Championships, he lost to eventual champion Roger Federer.

In July, he won his first doubles tournament in Indianapolis. He finished 2007 as the youngest player in the top 50.

First Titles and Top 10 Ranking (2008)

Del Potro won four consecutive titles in 2008, with the final one coming in Washington.

The first half of 2008 was tough due to injuries. But a successful summer followed. In July, del Potro won his first ATP Tour title at the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart. A week later, he won his second title at the Austrian Open.

In August, he won his third title at the Los Angeles Open. A fourth title followed a week later at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, D.C. He became the first player in ATP history to win his first four titles in a row.

At the 2008 US Open, he reached the round of 16. He was stopped by Andy Murray in the quarterfinals. This ended his 23-match winning streak. Del Potro helped Argentina reach the 2008 Davis Cup final. He finished 2008 as the youngest player in the top 10.

US Open Champion and ATP Tour Finals (2009)

Del Potro started 2009 by winning the Auckland Open. This was his fifth career title. He reached a career-high world ranking of No. 5 in April.

At the 2009 French Open, del Potro made the semifinals, losing to eventual champion Federer

At the French Open, he reached his first Grand Slam semifinal. He lost to Roger Federer in a close match. He successfully defended his title at the Washington tournament.

Del Potro at the 2009 US Open

At the US Open, del Potro reached his first Grand Slam final. He beat world No. 1 and five-time defending champion Roger Federer in five sets. This was his first win over Federer. He became the first Argentine man to win the US Open since 1977. At 198 cm (6 ft 6 in), he became the tallest Grand Slam champion ever.

At the ATP World Tour Finals in November, he reached the final. He lost to Nikolay Davydenko. Del Potro finished 2009 as the youngest player in the top 10 for the second year in a row.

Wrist Injury and Comeback (2010-2011)

Del Potro's 2010 season was affected by a wrist injury. He had surgery in May 2010 and missed most of the year. He returned to the tour in late 2010.

Del Potro at the 2010 Japan Open

He began 2011 by slowly returning to form. He won the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships. He also won the 2011 Estoril Open. He reached the semifinals of the Indian Wells Masters.

Del Potro reached the fourth round at Wimbledon for the first time. He helped Argentina reach the 2011 Davis Cup final. He finished 2011 ranked world No. 11. He was named the 2011 ATP Comeback Player of the Year.

Olympic Bronze and Return to Top 10 (2012)

At the Olympic Games medals award ceremony (from right to left: Del Potro, Andy Murray and Roger Federer)

In 2012, del Potro reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. He won his tenth ATP title at the Open 13 in Marseille. He also won the 2012 Estoril Open again.

At the French Open, he reached the quarterfinals. At the Olympic Games in London, he played a very long semifinal match against Roger Federer. He lost but then won the bronze medal match against Novak Djokovic.

He won the 2012 Erste Bank Open in Vienna and the 2012 Swiss Indoors title in Basel. He ended 2012 ranked world No. 7.

Wimbledon Semifinal and More Titles (2013)

Del Potro at the Queen's Club, 2013

Del Potro won the Rotterdam Open in February. At Indian Wells in March, he beat world No. 1 Djokovic. He then lost to Rafael Nadal in the final.

At Wimbledon, del Potro reached his first Grand Slam semifinal since 2009. He played another long match, losing to Novak Djokovic in five sets.

He won the Washington Open for the third time. He also won the Japan Open. In October, he reached the final of the 2013 Shanghai Rolex Masters. He beat Roger Federer in the final of the 2013 Swiss Indoors, winning his fourth title of the year. He finished 2013 with a strong record.

More Injuries and Time Away (2014-2015)

Del Potro at the 2014 Dubai Tennis Championships

Del Potro started 2014 by winning the Sydney International. However, he then faced more wrist problems. He had surgery on his left wrist in March 2014 and missed the rest of the season.

In 2015, he tried to return but still had wrist pain. He played only two tournaments before having another wrist surgery in June 2015. He did not play any more matches that year.

Olympic Silver and Davis Cup Champion (2016)

Del Potro made his comeback in February 2016. He reached the semifinals of the Delray Beach Open.

Del Potro at the 2016 Summer Olympics

At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, del Potro had an amazing run. He beat world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the first round. He then beat Rafael Nadal in the semifinals. He played Andy Murray in the gold medal match and won a silver medal.

At the US Open, he reached the quarterfinals. He won his first title since his return at the Stockholm Open.

Del Potro played a key role in the 2016 Davis Cup final against Croatia. He came back from two sets down to win a match against Marin Čilić. This helped Argentina win their first ever Davis Cup title. For the second time, he was named ATP Comeback Player of the Year.

Continued Comeback and US Open Semifinal (2017)

Del Potro started 2017 by reaching the semifinals of the Delray Beach Open. He reached the quarterfinals of the Italian Open. This was his first win over a top 10 player in 2017.

At the French Open, he reached the third round. At the US Open, he had a memorable run. He came back from two sets down to win a match against Dominic Thiem. In the quarterfinals, he beat Roger Federer in four sets. This put him in his first major semifinal since 2013. He then lost to Rafael Nadal.

Del Potro successfully defended his Stockholm Open title in 2017. This was his 20th ATP career title. He finished the year ranked world No. 11.

First Masters Title and World No. 3 (2018)

Del Potro started 2018 by returning to the top 10 rankings. He won the Acapulco Open, his 21st title.

Del Potro at the 2018 BNP Paribas Open, where he won his first Masters 1000 title of his career

He then won the Indian Wells Open. This was his first Masters 1000 title. He beat Roger Federer in the final. This was his biggest win since the 2009 US Open. He reached the semifinals of the Miami Open.

At the French Open, he reached the semifinals for the first time since 2009. He lost to Rafael Nadal. In August 2018, he reached a new career-high ranking of world No. 3.

At the US Open, del Potro reached his second Grand Slam final. He lost to Novak Djokovic in three sets. He had to withdraw from the rest of the season due to a knee injury.

Continued Knee Injuries and Retirement (2019-2024)

Del Potro's knee injury continued into 2019. He played a few tournaments but then fractured his kneecap in June 2019. He did not play any professional tennis from June 2019 until 2022. He had four surgeries on his right knee during this time.

In January 2022, del Potro announced his return at the Argentina Open. However, he also said it would likely be a farewell match due to ongoing knee pain. He lost his first-round match and then hinted at retirement. He officially retired in 2022.

In December 2024, del Potro played a farewell exhibition match against Novak Djokovic in Buenos Aires.

Playing Style and Strengths

Del Potro hits a forehand.

Del Potro is known as an offensive baseliner. This means he plays from the back of the court with powerful shots. His serve is very strong. He uses heavy groundstrokes to push opponents back.

His forehand is one of his main strengths. It is considered one of the most powerful in tennis. It can reach speeds of over 160 km/h (100 mph). Many players and experts say his forehand is among the top three best, along with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

After his wrist injuries, del Potro changed his game. He used a one-handed slice shot more often. This helped him protect his wrist and set up his powerful forehand. He also improved his serve to make up for changes to his backhand.

Equipment and Clothing

Del Potro has used Wilson racquets throughout his career. He is very superstitious about his racquets. He liked to use the exact racquets he used to win the 2009 US Open. He uses Luxilon ALU Power strings.

His clothing sponsor is Nike. He often wears double-wide wristbands and a bandana. For shoes, he wears Nike Air Max Cages.

Record Against Top Players

Del Potro has a good record against the "Big Four" in tennis. These are Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray. He is one of the few players to have beaten each of them at least three times.

Roger Federer

Del Potro has beaten Roger Federer 7 times and lost 18 times. He has won 4 finals against Federer, including the 2009 US Open and the 2018 Indian Wells final. Federer won their long match at the 2012 Olympics semifinal.

Novak Djokovic

Del Potro has beaten Novak Djokovic 4 times and lost 16 times. He beat Djokovic at the 2012 Summer Olympics for the bronze medal. He also upset Djokovic in the first round of the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Rafael Nadal

Del Potro has beaten Rafael Nadal 6 times and lost 11 times. He beat Nadal in the semifinals of the 2009 US Open. He was the first player to beat both Federer and Nadal in the same Grand Slam. Del Potro also beat Nadal in the semifinal of the 2016 Olympics.

Andy Murray

Del Potro has beaten Andy Murray 3 times and lost 7 times. Murray won their final at the 2009 Rogers Cup. Del Potro lost to Murray in the final of the 2016 Summer Olympics. However, del Potro beat Murray in a very long five-set match during the 2016 Davis Cup semifinals.

Personal Life

In May 2013, del Potro met Pope Francis, who is also from Argentina. He called it an amazing experience. Del Potro is a Roman Catholic.

Career Statistics

Grand Slam Tournament Performance

Grand Slam Tournament Finals

Singles: 2 (1 Title, 1 Runner-up)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	2009	US Open	Hard	Roger Federer	3–6, 7–6(7–5), 4–6, 7–6(7–4), 6–2
Loss	2018	US Open	Hard	Novak Djokovic	3–6, 6–7(4–7), 3–6

Olympic Gold Medal Matches

Singles: 1 (1 Silver Medal)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	2016	Summer Olympics, Rio de Janeiro	Hard	Andy Murray	5–7, 6–4, 2–6, 5–7

Year-End Championships Finals

Singles: 1 (1 Runner-up)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	2009	ATP World Tour Finals, UK	Hard (i)	Nikolay Davydenko	3–6, 4–6

Images for kids

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  Del Potro at the 2007 Australian Open

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  Del Potro won four consecutive titles in 2008, with the final one coming in Washington.

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  At the 2009 French Open, del Potro made the semifinals, losing to eventual champion Federer

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  Del Potro at the 2009 US Open

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  Del Potro at the 2010 Japan Open

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  Del Potro at Wimbledon in 2011

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  At the Olympic Games medals award ceremony (from right to left: Del Potro, Andy Murray and Roger Federer)

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  Del Potro at the Queen's Club, 2013

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  Del Potro at the 2014 Dubai Tennis Championships

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  Del Potro at the 2016 Summer Olympics

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  Del Potro at the 2017 Lyon Open

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  Del Potro at the 2018 BNP Paribas Open, where he won his first Masters 1000 title of his career

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  Del Potro hits a forehand.

See also

In Spanish: Juan Martín del Potro para niños