In the world of tennis, victories on the court are not the only things that matter. The camaraderie and mutual respect between players play a significant role in shaping the tennis community. Two players who exemplify this are Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin del Potro, whose friendship transcends competition.
Recently, Djokovic and del Potro had a training session together in New York, where the upcoming US Open will take place. During their session, the two players engaged in a friendly conversation. Del Potro asked Djokovic about his greatest achievement, to which Djokovic jokingly replied that it was beating del Potro in the final of the 2018 US Open.
Del Potro, however, had a different perspective. “My greatest achievement was beating you in Rio de Janeiro in 2016,” he revealed. Djokovic acknowledged del Potro’s prowess at the Olympics, admitting, “He beat me twice at the Olympics, also in London. It’s true, Delpo is my nemesis in that tournament, he’s my killer.”
The conversation took an emotional turn when del Potro opened up about the last Olympic Games in Paris 2024. Del Potro expressed his deep admiration for Djokovic, recalling how moved he was when Djokovic clinched the gold medal. “I cried when he won the gold. I have a very close relationship with him, I was very emotional because I knew how much he wanted to win that gold medal,” del Potro confessed.
Before the tournament began, Djokovic had shared a video of himself passing by the medals, expressing his desire to win the gold. Del Potro was touched by Djokovic’s dedication and was elated to see his friend achieve his goal. “He finished the job,” del Potro remarked, highlighting the bond between the two players that goes beyond the boundaries of the tennis court.
The friendship and mutual admiration between Djokovic and del Potro serve as a reminder that in the world of tennis, moments of connection and camaraderie can be just as powerful as victories on the court.
