Del Potro surgery successful

Minnesota - Argentinian Juan Del Potro emerged on Monday from successful surgery on his left wrist, doctors said, adding though that ligament damage was worse than expected.

"Hi everyone, I'm still sore from the operation. Luckily everything went well. Thank you for the affection of all of you," he wrote on his Facebook page.

Del Potro has been suffering the left wrist problems since the start of the year, first feeling pain in his opening match at the Australian Open a few days after winning the Sydney title.

Despite trying to play, he was forced to pull out of tournaments in Dubai, and the pair of March Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells, California, and Miami.

Del Potro underwent right wrist surgery shortly after beating Roger Federer in the 2009 US Open final and missed much of 2010.

Del Potro published a photo of himself with a bandage on his left arm and posing with coach Franco Davin and Dr Richard Berger, who performed the surgery.

A statement form the Del Potro management added: "The operation went well and as planned. Damaged ligaments were repaired and reinforced. "The surgery did not require hospitalisation and Juan Martin is recovering comfortably. Was expected to make a full recovery."

Argentine media reported the operation lasted for more than two hours, with recuperation and rehab expected to take up to six months.

In a best case scenario, the 2009 US open winner could be back on court in October for title defences in Tokyo and Basel.