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Devastating scenes as Juan Martin del Potro's career comes to end

riley morgan
Sports Reporter
·4-min read
Juan Martin del Potro (pictured left and right) crying as he is about to serve for the final time in his career.
Juan Martin del Potro (pictured left) was emotional before what appears to be his retirement match at the Argentina Open. (Getty Images)

Tennis great and fan favourite Juan Martín del Potro has signalled he has probably played the last match of his career after heartbreaking scenes in his final moments on court.

Del Potro signalled last week that the Argentina Open and Rio Open would most likely be the final tournaments of his career.

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A US Open champion, Del Potro's career has been plagued with debilitating injuries that has kept him from the court for large periods.

And the larger than life character was facing countryman Federico Delbonis in Round 1 in front of his home fans.

However, Del Potro quickly found himself serving to stay in the match at 6-3, 5-3.

The crowd got behind their hero as chants of 'Del Potro' echoed around the arena.

And in heartbreaking scenes, Del Potro broke down in tears before what appears to be the final service game of his career.

Del Potro may have lost the match 6-3, 6-3, but the 33-year-old came out a winner after the crowd cheered on one of tennis' greatest characters.

Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro (pictured) thanks the crowd in the final match of his career.
Juan Martin Del Potro (pictured) is emotional in what appears to be the final match of his career. (Photo by JUAN MABROMATA/AFP via Getty Images)

After greeting Delbonis at the net, Del Potro took off his headband and hung it over the net in a sign it was his final match.

"I will remember this moment for all my life. I fulfilled all the dreams I had in tennis and it brought me all the love of the people, which is my best trophy," he said, according to a translation from Spanish.

"This is my last match. I’m happy to have played it in front of my people.”

Tennis world rallies around Del Potro

The champion Argentine superstar was a favourite amongst players and staff in the locker room.

And the tennis world was quick to rally around Del Potro following the tough scenes on court, but more importantly the taxing injuries the great has endured.

The Argentina Open in Buenos Aires was his first tournament since fracturing his kneecap in June 2019 at Queen's in London.

The former World No.3 has undergone four surgeries on his knee for that injury while slipping to 757 in the world rankings.

The 33-year-old, who beat Roger Federer in the 2009 US Open final, said his knee troubles had him "living a nightmare".

Juan Martin Del Potro (pictured) hangs his headband and kisses it over the net.
Juan Martin Del Potro (pictured) hangs his headband and kisses it over the net after losing at the ATP 250 Argentina Open in what could be the last match of his career. (Photo by JUAN MABROMATA/AFP via Getty Images)

Del Potro won the last of his 22 tour titles at the Indian Wells Masters in 2018.

He took silver and bronze at the Olympics and helped his country win the Davis Cup in 2016.

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