Former world No 4 believes Juan Martin del Potro could have ‘changed tennis history’ without injuries
Jim Courier believes that Juan Martin del Potro could have ‘altered the course of tennis history’ and regularly went ‘toe-to-toe’ with the Big Four if he had remained healthy.
Before the injuries began to take their toll, the Argentine looked like a genuine disruptor in an era dominated by four of the greatest players the sport has ever seen.
With his towering frame and devastating forehand, del Potro had both the power and temperament to challenge anyone on the biggest stages, earning admiration from fans around the world.
It’s that sense of ‘what might have been’ that continues to follow his career. Few players outside the very elite consistently pushed the sport’s dominant figures the way del Potro did, and many within tennis believe his career trajectory could have been even more extraordinary had his body allowed it.
Overall, del Potro collected 20 victories over Novak Djokovic (4), Rafael Nadal (6), Roger Federer (7), and Andy Murray (3).
Other career highlights include lifting himself up to the world No 3 spot, winning the 2009 US Open, and collecting 22 singles titles.
In 2018, however, the gentle giant suffered yet another injury and slipped, fracturing his right kneecap whilst playing Borna Coric in Shanghai.
As a result, he underwent surgery the following season, before being forced to go under the knife twice in 2020, and again in 2021.
This injury forced the Grand Slam winner to hang up his professional racket in 2022, playing a farewell exhibition match with Djokovic in 2024.
Jim Courier, a former world No 4, believes that del Potro could have ‘altered’ tennis history, if he had been able to keep his body in a fit state.
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“I’m going to talk about a player who had massive tools, and may have altered the course of tennis history, had he been able to stay healthy,” he said whilst speaking on the Beyond The Numbers podcast.
“Sadly, Juan Martin del Potro couldn’t
“This guy had a thunderous serve, and thunderous forehand, and he could go toe to toe with the big four, because he was right in the thick of that era.”
Indeed, del Potro’s crowning moment arrived in the final of the 2009 US Open against Federer, with the Swiss attempting to win a sixth consecutive title in New York.
However, despite serving for a two-set lead, Federer’s streak came to an end in sensational style with the Argentine claiming a 3-6, 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-2 victory under the lights.
Mark Knowles, who is the current coach of Jessica Pegula, weighed in with his opinion and concurred with Courier.
“You have so much sympathy because not only was he a great player, but he’s a great person,” remarked Knowles.
“I was around for that ‘09 final, because I was in the doubles final, I got to see it live.
“It was spectacular, it was a level of tennis, you would have to say [Roger] Federer was pretty close to his prime, maybe you could argue ‘04 to ‘08 was really his prime, but ’09 is not far off, so he was beating Federer at his best in a Grand Slam final.
“It’s hard not to think what would have been had he stayed healthy.
“Big serve, big forehand, another guy that believed in himself in the big moments as well.
“You see the respect the top guys have for ‘Delpo’, even now, when they see him around events, there is a bit of reverence there, realising that this guy could have been a part of the big three.”
