Juan Martin Del Potro
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Summary
Juan Martín Del Potro was born 23 September 1988 … In April 2009 reached a career-high ranking of No. 5 … In 2008 became the first player in ATP history to win his first four career titles in as many tournaments … Captured his maiden Grand Slam title at the 2009 US Open defeating Roger Federer in the final … Runner-up at the 2009 ATP World Tour Finals.
Personal
Nicknames are Enano, Palito and Delpo… Juan Martín del Potro began playing at age seven … Father, Daniel, played semi-pro rugby in Argentina, and works as a veterinarian, and mother, Patricia, is a teacher…Has one younger sister, Julieta…Childhood idol was Pete Sampras and admires Marat Safin…Speaks Spanish and some Italian and English.
Favorite surface is hard court… Says if he wasn’t a tennis player, he would look to pursue a career in architecture… After winning his first ATP title in Stuttgart in July 2008, gave his CLK Mercedes-Benz to his sister, Julieta…. Coached by former ATP pro Franco Davin (since March 2008).
Career Highlights
2005 Finished as youngest player in year-end Top 200…Raised his ranking by over 900 positions…
2006 Youngest player to finish in Top 100 during the year at 18 years, 2 months… Made ATP debut in Vina del Mar and reached 2nd RD … Qualified in his Grand Slam debut at Roland Garros, falling in 1st RD to former champion Ferrero in four sets…
2007 Finished as youngest player in Top 50 at 19 years, 2 months … In October at ATP Masters Series in Madrid, defeated No. 9 Robredo for first Top 10 win en route to 3rd RD (l. to eventual champ Nalbandian)
2008 The youngest player in the year-end Top 10 … Won four titles in five finals…Finished as top Argentine and South American for first time… Won first ATP title in Stuttgart (d. Gasquet) … Helped his country to its third Davis Cup final (1981, 2006) by defeating Russia’s No. 5 Davydenko and then Andreev in decisive fifth rubber… In debut at Tennis Masters Cup went 1-2 in round robin play…
2009 Was the youngest player in year-end Top 10, finishing a personal-best No. 5… The top South American on ATP World Tour. Captured three titles and reached his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final in Canada.
At US Open he captured the title with back-to-back wins over No. 3 Nadal in SF and No. 1 Federer in final in five sets (rallying from 1-2 set deficit)…Became first player to beat Nadal and Federer in a Grand Slam tournament and first Argentinean to capture US Open since Vilas in 1977… Reached final at Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London by posting round-robin wins over Verdasco and Federer, Soderling in SF before falling to Davydenko in final… Juan Martín del Potro earned a career-high $4,753,087.
Del Potro Interviewed on Regis and Kelly