| Juan Martin Del Potro | ||||
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Juan Martin Del Potro In the company of tennis royalty. He twirls his racquet and walks around the baseline with a cool confidence, reminding some of the tennis greats of years past. At 20 years old, Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro is quickly ascending the ATP ranks toward his dream of becoming the top ranked player in the world. For him it’s not a question of if, but a matter of when. People never doubted his ability; he was known to have great potential before this season even began. However, injuries slowed his progress and limited his opportunities to play. Knowing he was better than his No. 81 rank, he decided to make a change. He hired a new trainer who has helped him stay healthy, and now everyone can see that the hype was well-deserved. In his first four ATP events, Del Potro showed the world how good he can be by winning each one. The type of surface didn’t matter. He won on both hard stuff and clay. From mid-July to late August, Del Potro won 19 straight matches, the second-longest streak of the year. He also holds the second-longest streak by a teenager. With his strong play, he rose all the way up the rankings to No. 9 in the world. He won in Germany, Austria, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. “I don’t really understand what I did. I have no words to describe the feeling I have in this moment. It is difficult to believe that I have won four consecutive titles,” he said at the time. His eyes were locked on the U.S. Open as he made it all the way to the quarterfinals before losing to Andy Murray, the eventual runner-up. All his success has helped him earn more than $1 million this year on tour. While some may have problems staying focused in the game, Del Potro attributes his mental toughness and success to his coach, Franco Davin. It was Davin who suggested that he play on clay courts after hurting his back while playing on hard surfaces. Del Potro’s style is well-balanced as he uses his size to his advantage. At 6-foot-6, he towers over most of his opponents, but for a big man, he has great agility to quickly get to the balls in the corners. And when he charges the net, his humongous wingspan can strike fear into opponents’ minds as he can effortlessly reach almost every ball. It seems the sky is the limit with Juan Martin Del Potro. He could very well be destined for greatness like the others who have won four ATP titles in a single season during their teen years. Of the 11 who have done so, 10 of them have gone on to become ranked No. 1 in the world, including greats like Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, and Pete Sampras. Del Potro is big, plays big, and dreams big as well. “I hope to win some Grand Slams, not just one,” he says. “One of my dreams is to be number one.” It certainly seems he is well on his way. — Kevin McCarthy
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