Former tennis star Juan Martin del Potro has opened up about the severe physical and emotional toll that chronic knee injuries have taken on his life.
After battling through years of pain, Del Potro was forced to retire from professional tennis following his last match in February 2022.
The 36-year-old Argentine, a former US Open champion, has since undergone eight surgeries, leaving him unable to return to the sport he once loved.
Where did Del Potro’s knee injuries start?
Del Potro‘s journey with knee injuries began in 2018 when he fractured his right kneecap at the Shanghai Masters. Despite making a strong comeback, he was hit by another setback in 2019, suffering a further injury during the Queen’s Club Championships after slipping on grass.
Since then, the recovery process has been a grueling ordeal, with Del Potro enduring constant pain and disappointment.
In a candid post on social media, Del Potro revealed the extent of his daily suffering. He shared that after his final match in 2022 against Federico Delbonis, he immediately underwent a fifth knee surgery in Switzerland.
Unfortunately, this didn’t provide the relief he hoped for, and the pain persisted. He went on to have several more surgeries, extensive rehabilitation, and over 100 injections, but the agony continued.
“The pain is never-ending,” Del Potro explained.
“Since my first surgery in 2019, I’ve never been able to go up a set of stairs without pain. It hurts when I sleep, when I turn, or when I wake up. It’s like a nightmare I can’t escape.”
“It’s terrible. They took away the chance to do what I loved the most – play tennis.”
The pain has not only affected his ability to move freely but also caused him to rely on daily medication, which has led to weight gain and further challenges.
“This knee beat me. I’ve had eight surgeries, and each time I hoped the pain would go away. But every time I called the doctors, I was told it didn’t work,” Del Potro concluded.
He also revealed that some doctors have suggested a prosthesis to improve his quality of life, though others advise against it, saying he is too young. Now, at 36, Del Potro faces the grim prospect of living with these injuries for many more years.
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