'Not Only Greatest In History In Sport, But Also Life': Del Potro Pays Tribute To Djokovic
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Novak Djokovic once again showed his greatness, but this time not as a tennis player, but as a person.
The 37-year-old Serbian might be called the greatest of all time by many, but that refers to his on-court abilities. On top of that, those who know him well recognize why Djokovic is a great person also away from the courts, as Juan Martin del Potro recently experienced.
The tall Argentinian officially said goodbye to his tennis career with one last match in his native Argentina, and standing on the opposite side of the court was no other than Novak Djokovic.
Del Potro beat Djokovic in the exhibition match to victoriously end his tennis career, with the 24-time Grand Slam champion greatly helping that result.
It was clear that Djokovic wanted his good friend to end his career with one last win, sending the vast majority of the balls to Del Potro's powerful forehand, with the Argentinian then able to produce some throwback moments of magic.
But it wasn't the Serbian's ability to let him win the match without making it very obvious that the 2009 US Open champion cherished. At the end of the day, he knew that his level was far from where it once used to be.
What really meant a lot to Del Potro was the fact that Djokovic made his way all the way to Argentina during the off-season, the time of the season when players try not to disrupt their schedule too much to ideally prepare for the new season.
For example, a couple of years ago, Casper Ruud participated in an exhibition tour with Rafael Nadal during the off-season, and he had one of the worst seasons of his career after that.
That's why Djokovic's willingness to travel all the way to Argentina to stand on the court with his good friend and former rival counted so much for the Argentinian.
He expressed his gratitude for Djokovic's gesture with a long message on social media, thanking the 10-time Australian Open winner for what he's done for him.
"Dear Nole, I don't have enough words to thank you for everything you did for me since that day at dinner in Miami, when you accepted this crazy idea of being part of my farewell in Argentina, despite your difficult season."
"From that moment until the day you left my country, you showed a generosity that I will never forget. I am eternally grateful to you, Charly, Mark and your entire team for being available in every detail, in every need."
"You understood and comprehended the situation I was in, and you were the best teammate, on and off the court, to make a farewell come true that I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams."
"Your presence not only made this event unforgettable for me and my family, but it transcended tennis. An entire country was able to enjoy and be moved by you, and it was clear that you are not only the greatest in history in sport, but also in life."
"Argentina loves you, and we are eternally grateful for the show, the generosity and the dedication you gave to make this day perfect. I feel that something very special was born from all this: a sincere friendship that will last forever. I love you so much, my friend. Thank you for everything, and see you soon."
