Fare Well, Champion

A career-high Ozeki (=Champion) has announced his retirement from the sport: Juan Martin del Potro, the 27th male Ozeki of the open era. 

Juan Martin del Potro

Del Potro crossed the "great hurdle" (this is what 'Ozeki' means literally in Japanese) for the first time in 2009, when he won the US Open in 2009 as a 20-year old, following a semi-final at the 2009 French Open. In the semifinals and in the final, Del Potro defeated both Yokozuna (=Grand Champions)  in succession - Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. He obtained active Ozeki status for a second time in 2018 after a series of strong grand slam tournaments, peaking with another US Open final. Del Potro also won a bronze and a silver medal and the 2012/2016 Olympics respectively. 

Del Potro's ability to generate speed and raw power was unique and feared by his opponents, his trademark thunderbolt flat forehand was an almost undefeatable weapon when he hit it cleanly. However, his career was interrupted time and again by long stretches of injury: in 2010, 2013-16, and now again since 2019. His large frame - del Potro is almost 2 meters tall and weighs close to 100 kilos - did unfortunately not take too well to the strains of professional tennis, otherwise he may well have had the potential for Yokozuna. 

The Argentine was one of the most humble and sympathetic  personalities on the professional tennis tour and almost universally liked. He is leaving the tour at 33 years of age. 

Fare well, champion. You will be missed.