Since his last comeback, Juan Martin del Potro’s two-handed backhand is no longer the same. But Delpo makes the best of it – and plays more variably than ever before.
In Delray Beach, in February 2016, it was against Denis Kudla. Delpo had ventured a new comeback, after the zsten operation on the left wrist, after many ambiguities whether this will be something at all again. He had often been asked whether he was thinking of changing over to a one-handed backhand – no, not at all, according to his answer.
Against Kudla – and in the matches on it – it was foreseeable how his opponents would play against him in the future. Always on the backhand, it was the old club tactic against the player, who has a hammer forehand, but on the backhand only a medium bad slice. Del Potro made it straight into the semi-finals in Delray Beach, despite the bad backhand; he dominated with serve and forehand, using the slice to take out speed to go even further. But one thing was also clear: for the top – no, it would not be enough.
A lot of talk has been going on since then, Del Potro explained time and again that he spends several hours a day on his wrist alone, that he needs courage and strength to pull his backhand both hands, especially in the matches. Two years later we find out: Yes, the backhand has become more powerful, but Juan Martin del Potro is also a completely new player. A better one.
With great appearances in Auckland and a win in Acapulco, the former world number four has regained ninth place in the world; his matches against Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev and Kevin Anderson were partly tactical masterpieces. While in the past del Potro was almost exclusively betting on the crowbar – hard impact, hard backhand, ultra-hard forehand – he now shows the fine blade. The slice is world bitterer than two years ago, thanks to its size Delpo saws it from above into the field and seldom offers an attack surface. In addition, he sprinkles the stop more and more often. And the forehand? It’s as tough as ever.
“I know I’m playing a different game from a few years ago. I mix it with slice, with dropshots. I try to get to the net more often,”he explained in Indian Wells. And Delpo knows about the attractiveness of the whole thing:”I like how I play now. It’s more fun to watch, but he still mourns after his “old” backhand.
As far as popularity is concerned, the “Tower of Tandil” is already at the forefront, and he would love to go down in history as the most patient player of all time, perhaps the most emotional one, he said.
If he keeps on like he did in the last few weeks, he should also be remembered as another player: one who discovered a new game for himself at an advanced age in tennis – and won over tennis fans who have been annoyed by the monotony of blind shooting for a long time.