Will Juan Martin Del Potro be a one slam wonder?

2009 Triumph

One Time Winners

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Verdict: One Grand Slam

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Since Juan Martin del Potro rocked the tennis world in 2009 with his remarkable and entirely unexpected victory at the US Open we have been waiting for the Argentinian to make some more waves. Undoubtedly talented and overflowing in self belief, will injuries prevent del Potro for adding to his solitary Grand Slam title?

It has been noticeable how del Potro is more than willing to play the role of crowd pleaser

News of his wrist surgery at the start of 2015 evoked all too familiar emotions for del Potro fans, who seem to be supporting a player who is made of glass at times. It feels as if even a few months injury free is too much to ask for the former world number 4.

Nobody will be more frustrated than the man himself. Having broken out onto the world scene when he was only 20 years old, now at 26 his career is worryingly speeding by.

It is a desperate yet seemingly unavoidable shame and one that has plagued immensely talented players in the past, but hopefully for del Potro we aren’t looking back on his career in the few years time thinking what could have been.

Aug 30, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) serves against Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) on day five of the 2013 US Open in Ashe Stadium at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

The gangly 6 foot 6 Argentinian did it the hard way. 2009 was the heyday for the Big Four, so much so that pundits speculated that they would continue to dominate for a decade. Even Andy Murray, who was clearly richly talented, couldn’t really breakthrough.

It was a popular opinion that for a new Grand Slam champion to emerge, there would have to be a final without Federer, Nadal or Djokovic, as simply put, these guys didn’t lose finals.

Step in Juan Martin, who played the match of his life in the 2009 US Open Final against Roger Federer. He was hitting forehands to hard and so flat that the noise it was making had never been heard before.

The mental fortitude required to twice battle back from a set deficit spoke volumes about his character and belief. He never went into his shell when others would never have emerged from theirs.

As he lifted to trophy at Flushing Meadows, many believed and hoped that del Potro had a remarkably bright future ahead of him. Anyone who suggested that he would remain stuck on one Grand Slam title would have been ridiculed.

We have already delivered our opinion on fellow single Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka’s chances of another major and are similarly worried for del Potro’s chances. Injuries have been the biggest problem for del Potro, no doubt about that, but they have also caused a worrying mentality to fester.

One-time Grand Slam winners at the Australian Open. *Denotes current player.

Whenever I have seen del Potro play in big matches since his 2009 triumph, I have been a little worried about his attitude. It has been noticeable how he is more than willing to play the role of crowd pleaser, often pulling little jokes in the middle of matches.

I am by no means criticising him for this content attitude on court, in fact it is admirable given the frustrations he must have gone through, but this jovial style will not help him to more Grand Slams. Novak Djokovic has noticeably distanced himself from the ‘Joker’ image and now he is arguably the most respect player on tour.

I am sure that, given a year or more on tour in one go, del Potro’s ruthless streak would return, but it is a very real worry that his body will not allow him to do this. His game is a high octane one and if he tapers it down, he loses much of what makes him a world beater.

I know I am not a solo voice in wishing for a return to his best for del Potro, he certainly deserved it. He can still make an impact of the world stage and time is still on his side. Sadly, logic out ways emotion in my view that he will remain stranded on one Grand Slam.

Next: Will Stan Wawrinka be a one slam wonder?

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Juan Martin Del Potro*

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