Del Potro to undergo new knee surgery ahead of Olympics

BUENOS AIRES, March 23  --  Former world No 3 Juan Martin del Potro said Monday he will undergo knee surgery for the fourth time in less than two years in a bid to compete at the Tokyo Olympics, reported Xinhua.

The 32-year-old has not played since June 2019, when he suffered a fractured right patella for the second time in nine months during the Queen's ATP 500 tournament in London.

He has since undergone three operations, the most recent of which took place in Switzerland last August.

"We've tried conservative therapy but the pain is still there," Del Potro said in a social media post in which he revealed he would undergo surgery in Chicago on Tuesday.

"The (doctor) knows I want to play tennis again and be able to play at the Olympics, so we agreed that surgery should be done as soon as possible."

The Tokyo Games tennis event will be played at Ariake Park from July 24 to Aug 1.

Del Potro, who won bronze at London 2012 and silver in Rio de Janeiro four years later, said he considered retirement after his father died in January.

"Of course, these last few weeks weren't easy for me. Everything's so hard since my father's passing," he said.

"But also, I feel the strength he sends me from above. I had this day in which I woke up and called the doctor. I knew I had to try again. I hope I can overcome this painful situation. I won't stop trying."

-- BERNAMA