Del Potro returns to challenge status quo

The recent return to action of 2009 U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro sees the ATP Tour welcome back a genuine challenger to the Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer dynasty.

Del Potro's victory over Federer in last year's Flushing Meadows final not only provided the giant Argentine with his first grand slam title success, it also gave an indication the then 20-year-old was on the verge of usurping Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray as the main pretender to the Nadal and Federer throne.

However, 2010 has been a disaster for Del Potro, with a wrist problem ruling him out for much of the season -- an injury that was deemed so serious that at one stage there were genuine fears for his long-term future in the sport.

Del Potro eventually made his comeback in the Thailand Open, where CNN's Open Court was also in attendance to meet the man himself.

"Winning the U.S. Open was like a dream for me but before my first match in the Australian Open in January, something felt wrong in my wrist," Del Potro told Open Court.

"I played three or four matches in Melbourne with the pain but after that tournament I knew I had to stop playing. I was scared because I'd never had a serious injury before and I was completely in the hands of the doctors.

"I know that if I can return to form after my injury I will have a real chance to compete with both Nadal and Federer at the top of the world rankings."

But returning to form and fitness will not be plain sailing for Del Potro, as his defeat to Belgian Olivier Rochus in his comeback match in Thailand testified.

And the player's coach and mentor Ugo Colombini told Open Court that people should not expect too much too soon from Del Potro in the next few months.

"Following his wrist surgery, the doctors have told us that Juan Martin will be back to 100 per cent fitness," he said. "However, it takes time because once he has his fitness, he will then need to get back into the rhythm of playing and practicing.

"It is not going to be easy. He has not played for nine months and has probably lost the confidence and security you gain from playing and winning.

"But Juan Martin is very strong mentally and I have no doubt that once he is back playing on the Tour, the results will slowly start to follow."

Del Potro's rise to prominence over the last four years has been staggering. In 2006 he was the youngest player in the ATP Tour's top 100 rankings.

He continued that form into 2007, where he was the youngest player in the top 50 and in 2008 he became the youngest in the top 10.

It is this progress that has former players and commentators convinced Del Potro can become the world's top player, as long as he recaptures the level he reached before his wrist injury.

Sweden's Mats Wilander, himself a former world number one and seven-time grand slam champion, told Open Court: "I think that Del Potro is mentally stronger than anybody else on the Tour right now apart from Federer and Nadal.

"The big matches do not phase him at all and he has a big enough game to succeed on any surface. If he can stay fit and healthy I believe he will win many more majors, beating the best in the world in the process."

And John McEnroe believes the men's game can only benefit from a fit and healthy Del Potro: "It is important that we have genuine contenders to the top two and Del Potro looks a legitimate contender," he told Open Court.

"It is the first time that somebody of that height has come along to potentially withstand the bruising you can take on a tennis court."

It is astonishing to think that apart from Nadal and Federer, only Del Potro, Djokovic, Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt are current grand slam winners on the ATP Tour.

With Hewitt and Roddick unlikely to reach their former glories again, and Djokovic continuing to frustrate with his inconsistency, a fit again Del Potro still appears the likeliest to break the current status quo in men's tennis.