Novak Djokovic’s Heartfelt Gesture for Retiring ATP Legend Leaves Fans Awestruck as They Go Gaga Over His Kind Act
‘Serbinator’ fulfills the wish of ‘The Tower of Tandil’! Recently, a video surfaced on the internet where the 35-year-old Argentinian tennis star, Juan Martín del Potro, was spotted saying it was his dream to play his last tennis match in Argentina. He even asked Novak Djokovic if he could attend that exhibition match, which is slated to be played on Sunday, December 1 at the Mary Terán de Weiss Stadium in Buenos Aires. Interestingly, Djokovic didn’t waste any time to give a nod about his presence at ‘The Last Challenge’. Fans have now come out in numbers to praise the Serb for his beautiful gesture towards one of his fiercest rivals.
In that video, del Potro and Djokovic spoke in Spanish, the Argentinian revealed, “I have a dream. I want to play my last match in Argentina and I want you to come.” After hearing this, the 24-time Grand Slam champion said, “Are you kidding me? Obviously, I’m coming. For you, in Argentina, of course.”
Novak Djokovic is expected to travel to the land of ‘La Albiceleste’ in late November and he may also take part in an official dinner event before participating in the exhibition match. So, we can say that tennis fans in Argentina are set for an early Christmas present, and all the credit for this goes to their tennis star, Juan Martín del Potro.
The 35-year-old had previously announced plans for a farewell match at the 2023 US Open, but it had to be eventually canceled due to his lingering knee injury. He had struggled quite a lot with his fitness issues during the later stages of his career. He had to undergo quite a few surgeries in the last few years. However, despite all these struggles, his contributions to the racquet sport in Argentina are enormous.
He has won 22 titles in his singles career and it also includes a Grand Slam triumph at the 2009 US Open. Fans are now ecstatic to see him play against Novak Djokovic in the last match of his professional career.
Tennis fans thank Novak Djokovic for fulfilling the wish of Juan Martín del Potro
Previously in 2013, Novak Djokovic was spotted attending an exhibition match in Argentina to make the retirement of another Argentinian tennis great, David Nalbandian. He even congratulated Lionel Messi when they won the FIFA World Cup in 2022. So, with time, he has managed to build quite a few fan bases in that part of the world as well. After seeing Djokovic confirming his presence at del Potro’s farewell match, some of the fans from other parts of the world wrote, “What envy for Argentinians to see the best in the world, greetings and hope and do not miss this show GOAT.“
Just before the 2024 US Open, Juan Martín del Potro and Novak Djokovic were spotted participating in a practice session. Both of these tennis stars have faced each other 20 times in their careers so far. Currently, the Serb leads the H2H scoreline by a 16-4 margin. During that meeting, they were seen recalling their fond memories from their previous meetings. Djokovic said, “My greatest success ever was beating Juan Martín del Potro in the final of US Open in 2018.” The del Potro replied, “My biggest success was beating you in Rio.” Then again, the Serb reminded him, “And in London! Delpo is my nemesis at the Olympic Games. He’s been my slayer.”
Together, they have shared quite a few of those moments of camaraderie both on and off the court. Seeing them getting the chance to play against each other once again made a fan say, “How amazing. This is true sportsmanship. Genuine. Respectful.”
Juan Martin del Potro and Novak Djokovic smiling and having a nice chat during their practice.
Rivals & friends. ❤️
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Talking about respecting each other, recently, after Novak Djokovic’s emphatic triumph at the Paris Olympics, we heard the Argentinian sharing an emotional moment with the fans. He revealed, “He (Djokovic) made me cry the other day when he won the gold medal. It was the first tennis match that I cried.” The Serb fulfilled his wish in Paris, now he’s set to fulfill the wish of his peer in Buenos Aires. “The dreams do come true! Hold on Delp and hold on Novak,” wrote the other fan.
Juan Martin del Potro has time and again heaped praise on Djokovic for his gigantic presence in the tennis world. For example, in 2019, he was heard calling Novak Djokovic “a great example” of how to overcome challenges and fears to become one of the best in the world. Then in March 2024, he said that if Djokovic manages to win a couple more Grand Slam, there will be no longer any discussions about who’s the GOAT in the tennis world. Del Potro is not the only one to be excited about this exhibition match with the Serb, a fan wrote, “Let’s go Delpo, ‘You’re charging me’, hehe what a genius Nole.”
Del Potro is the only man other than the ‘Big Three’ to win a major title between the 2005 AO and the 2012 US Open. His biggest achievement was winning the 2009 US Open singles title, where he defeated Rafael Nadal in the SF and Roger Federer in the final. So, during his days, he was truly a force to reckon with in the men’s tour. During the 2018 US Open, Djokovic called Del Potro, a “gentle giant“. He further added, “He really is. He’s very tall, has a big game, but at the same time he nurtures the right values in life. He cares about his family. He cares about his friends. He respects everyone.“
Djokovic said, “He (Del Potro) fights every match from the first to the last point. I think people can relate to that and appreciate what he brings to tennis. He treats others the way he wants others to treat him. I think that’s why people love him.” Some of the fans feel the Argentinian couldn’t have asked more out of his farewell match. “What a pair of legendary cracks. Delpo deserves nothing less for his farewell,” said another fan. Share your thoughts on this epic exhibition match. Are you excited about this match just like these fans?
