ATP: “Delpo” as astronaut whisperer – tips for first tennis match in space

Juan Martin del Potro takes on a completely new role shortly before the start of the US Open (from 27 August) – a completely out ofSPAC(E)te role.

Juan Martin del Potro is a believer, the Argentinean makes no secret of this. After a victory, he always sends a kiss on the hand to the sky. On Tuesday noon at 12:35 p.m. local time in New York, however, the connection “upwards” will be a completely different one for “Delpo”.

The third in the world rankings will give important tips on tennis in a video chat. But not just anyone, but NASA pilot Andrew Jay Feustel, who has been on board the International Space Station ISS since March 2018. Together with the German Alexander Gerst, by the way.

And Feustel plans to hold the first tennis match in space a few hours after the chat with del Potro. A double in which his colleagues Alexander Gerst, Ricky Arnold and Serena Aunon-Chancellor are also expected to take part, in addition to Feustel. Serena – fits !!!!

According to the US tennis association USTA, the game is projected in 3D onto the “Unisphere” in Queens Corona Park, this steel globe in front of the southern exit of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, which was built for the 1964 World Exposition.

“Tennis has always played a role in my family. My grandparents made me do it. Later I came back through my wife Indira,” reported the 52-year-old Feustel, who is of course a USTA member. His sons Ari and Aden were at the Houston tournament for ten years as ball children. Houston! Of all things!

If the action works, it would be the first “tennis match” in history to take place in the exosphere. The game will be played with so-called “micro” bats and balls. The sports enthusiast from Lancaster/Pennsylvania came up with the idea earlier, now he finally wants to implement it.

“It will be a bit like the old video game “Pong”, in which you hit the ball and it then flies straight on to the wall – without bouncing open,” is how on-board engineer Feustel described the “special challenge” in weightlessness.