Former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro has vowed to come back despite 15 “sad” and “sombre” months of injury hell.
Speaking in a Youtube video, the 26-year-old spoke of his determination to play again despite needing a third operation on his troublesome wrist in just 15 months.
The 2009 US Open winner has dropped to 578 in the world but he’s not giving up.
He said he has suffered “difficult weeks and months, sad days and sombre days” since his last tournament in Miami at the end of March.
“But I’m not giving up” he said despite announcing that he needs another operation on his left wrist.
“I will continue to fight for what I love the most. I hope to return one day to the court,” he added in a serious tone.
Del Potro has won 18 titles during his career but the highlight came at just 20 years of age when he defeated Roger Federer to win the 2009 US Open.
He started having problems with his wrist in 2012 but it was after the 2014 Australian Open that he truly injured it, requiring surgery.
He first went under the knife in March 2014 and only returned to action in January, although he was again forced into undergoing an operation two months later.
He had already spent 10 months away from the court in 2010, dropping outside the world’s top 400, due to an injury to his right wrist.