Share

Injured Del Potro to miss Australian Open

Buenos Aires - World number five Juan Martin del Potro said on Monday he will miss the Australian Open starting in two weeks' time as he hasn't yet recovered from a fractured knee suffered in October.

Writing on Twitter, the Argentine said: "Recovery is going great and I will tell you later where I will be making my comeback. Unfortunately it won't happen in Australia."

The injury-plagued 30-year-old hobbled out of the Shanghai Masters two months ago after an awkward fall before doctors diagnosed him with a fractured patella bone in his right knee.

Since winning the US Open in 2009 as a 20-year-old, Del Potro has been plagued with physical problems, including a series of wrist injuries that required four surgeries.

But 2018 had seen something of a resurgence from a player who dropped to 581 in the world in 2015.

He beat Swiss great Roger Federer in the Indian Wells Masters final in March and in September he reached a second Grand Slam final, but was beaten in straight sets by current world No.1 Novak Djokovic at the US Open.

He even reached a career-high ranking of three in August.

While he said on Twitter he would "miss" the Australian Open, he added that he was "happy with my progress."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1473 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE