JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO ten years ago, he starred in one of the greatest feats of his career as a professional tennis player: he hung himself the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympicsafter an outsized performance against number one Novak Djokovic in the match for third place.
After an anthological semifinal against Roger Federer, in which the Swiss won 3-6, 7-6 and 19-17 after four and a half hours, the man from Tandil was at the gates of hanging his first Olympic medal. The stumbling block would be nothing less than Djokovic, the number one in the world and the player to beat at the moment.
The Argentine was dispatched with a triumph: won 7-5 and 6-4, snatched the medal from the hands of the world number one and celebrated on his knees on the hallowed turf of the All England, the home of Wimbledon.
“They were waiting for the bronze medalist. Everyone thought it was going to be Djokovic and I arrived. Federer asked me what had happened and, when I told him that I won, he said: ‘what happiness, it makes me very happy after our match.’ It was spectacular”,explained del Potro, who recalled long ago that moment when he arrived at the locker room.
—
