Novak Djokovic is arguably the greatest tennis player of all time, and Juan Martín Del Potro will know more than most what it is like to face someone of his calibre.
Throughout his entire career, the affable Argentine was forced to face the 24-time major champion, and unsurprisingly, he came off worse far more often than not.
Alas, now speaking exclusively to Tennishead, Juan Martin Del Potro has given his verdict on what the future might hold for Novak Djokovic as his schedule becomes more and more sparse and his career winds down.
Juan Martín Del Potro and Gabriela Sabatini rate Novak Djokovic’s Grand Slam chances
Chatting alongside his fellow Argentine and Grand Slam champion, Gabriela Sabatini, they were keen to emphasise how impossible it is to discount a champion like Djokovic.
When asked to rate his chance of winning that record-breaking 25th major title, Sabatini began by simply stating: “Well, ah, he always has the biggest chance.”
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Del Potro would rather emphatically add: “Yeah… he’s Djokovic.”
“Yeah, exactly,” Sabatini agreed, adding: “Any surface, I would say. He has shown that, you know, he’s won on every surface, so he has chances in every single tournament he plays.”
Del Potro then concluded by outlining his desire for Djokovic before he retires: “I would like to see him win the 25th Grand Slam.”
When Novak Djokovic plans to retire
The Serbian will likely give himself plenty more chances to win that 25th Grand Slam title if he insists on the retirement date he has already set for himself.
After all, talks over when Djokovic might retire have been abundant for years now, and yet he continues to remain ever-present at the apex of the sport.
Fortunately, he has plans to remain there for at least another two years, having recently claimed: “I wish to retire at the 2028 Olympic Games with the Serbian flag in my hands.”
Djokovic won the Olympic Gold Medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and in doing so effectively completed the sport of tennis.
Juan Martín Del Potro and Gabriela Sabatini discuss the Roland Garros Junior Series
Del Potro and Sabatini were both supremely enthusiastic when discussing Djokovic’s greatness, but arguably held even more excitement for the enterprise they were endorsing.
After all, both are ambassadors for the Roland Garros Junior Series, an event that has been running since 2022 and seeks to fast-track the development of tomorrow’s champions.
Being held in Sao Paulo, it welcomes 32 of South America’s most talented under-17 players to battle it out for a wild card into the juniors’ draw of the real event.
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Discussing what drew them to partnering with this hugely forward-thinking initiative, Del Potro began by claiming: “Well, it really looks like a Grand Slam.”
Sabatini agreed, laughing as she added: “It does. It’s like you’re at Roland Garros.”
Del Potro then explained why he has enjoyed his ambassadorial duties for the Junior Series in greater detail: “Yeah. But it’s happening here in Brazil, which is crazy, but it’s happening. And for us also, it’s a good opportunity to spend some time together and remember the good things from our careers.
“And then now, we’re going to see the semi-final matches together and being in the crowd, watching them, is a great experience.”
This prompted Sabatini, who won the US Open in 1990 and reached the semi-finals of the Roland Garros proper on five occasions, to once again echo that sentiment: “Yeah, I mean, it is a great honour, and to be able to communicate, or to talk to them, and to see them. It’s very unique.
“So, yeah, I think we’re both very proud and also for us to share this moment together.”
