Juan Martin del Potro recently played his final-ever tennis match in his native Argentina against Novak Djokovic.
After a sensational career on the ATP Tour, Del Potro retired from tennis following an exhibition victory against Djokovic last week.
The pair played an emotional game in front of 15,000 vibrant Argentinian fans, desperate to give their hero a deserving send-off.
Del Potro had struggled with injury throughout his career and recently revealed just how much pain he is in on a daily basis.
The farewell match was well received, as Del Potro got to write one last positive chapter to his story.
One tennis personality gave a lot of praise to the event, as he thinks other players who are set to retire should take note.
Jon Wertheim thinks exhibition farewells are ‘the way to go’ for retiring tennis stars
Speaking on the Served with Andy Roddick podcast, Jon Wertheim was very impressed by Del Potro’s retirement event.
“What a great way to end a career,” he said.
“We’ve talked a lot about how there’s no easy way to do this, but it does seem like, with Roger [Federer] at the Laver Cup, the exhibition is the way to go.
“You have this event, you can even win your last match, but more importantly than that you pack a stadium, have a real send-off.
“I thought this was a really elegant way to wrap up a career.”
Wertheim was happy that Del Potro didn’t do what some other players do on their way out of the sport.
“You can grovel for a wildcard, but you’re not really competitive, you sort of have that awkward moment where you’re facing some 21-year-old kid,” he said.
“Playing on some grandstand at 2’Oclock, waiting for some second on to finish.”
2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem retired from tennis earlier this year, as he received a wildcard to his home Vienna Open, where he lost to 22-year-old Luciano Darderi.
Rafael Nadal’s retirement was another that received criticism this year, with many sharing their thoughts on what could’ve been done better.
What was wrong with Rafael Nadal’s retirement?
Nadal retired from tennis at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals, as Spain was knocked out in the quarter-finals by the Netherlands.
Nadal played just one match at the event, as he lost to Botic van de Zandschulp in the opening contest.
Many fans and players had assumed that Nadal and Spain would reach the final in Malaga, as some of Nadal’s closest rivals planned to commemorate his career in the latter stages of the tournament.
The tournament themselves had prepared for the same, as rumors seemed to suggest that a larger ceremony had been planned ahead of Spain’s prospective semi-final tie against Germany.
Toni Nadal was unimpressed by Nadal’s retirement ceremony, as he thought that more could’ve been done to convey the ’emotion’ of his nephew’s career.
Another Spaniard, Carlos Moya was unhappy with Nadal’s retirement, as he said that the farewell ‘did not live up to what Nadal means to the sport.’
Perhaps an exhibition farewell could’ve been a better way to send the Spaniard into retirement, but fighting on the court for his country fits quite well with the character he showed during his time on tour.
Nadal will now enjoy retirement as he looks to his countrymen to carry on his legacy and compete at the top of the ATP Tour.
Fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz won two Grand Slam titles in 2024 and will be looking to win his maiden title down under when he heads to the Australian Open which begins on January 12.
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