Del Potro heaps praise on Alcaraz: "He is a special being"

Jose Morón - 12 Sep 2026 | 16:48
ATP Juan Martín del Potro Carlos Alcaraz Jannik Sinner

Juan Martín talks about current tennis and acknowledges feeling reflected in Rafa Jódar, with whom he sees similarities as a player.

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Del Potro on Sinner and Alcaraz. Photo: Getty

Juan Martín del Potro knows better than almost anyone the price that elite tennis can reach. The Argentine, whose career has been marked by injuries, observes with attention the current situation in which Carlos Alcaraz has had to stay away from the courts for several months due to an injury similar to his own, and Jannik Sinner is also going through physical problems, missing the US Open. From his experience, the 2009 US Open champion issues a warning about an ATP calendar that continues to demand too much from its top stars.

Retired from competition and definitively distanced from that routine of travel that often wore him out, Delpo has now found another way to stay linked to tennis. The Argentine works as a commentator for ESPN, in addition to participating occasionally in various events related to the circuit. In an interview with Corriere della Sera, the Tower of Tandil has reflected on his career, the current moment in tennis, and some of the names that dominate the present and will shape the future.

Del Potro understands Alcaraz's decision

Few voices can speak with as much authority about injuries as Del Potro's. The Argentine lived for years with physical problems, especially in his wrists and later in his knee, to the extent that his career never had the continuity it promised after reaching the peak in New York in 2009. That is why he perfectly understands that Alcaraz has chosen to prioritize his body over any obligation.

“These guys have to perform at their best every week of the year, and that is too much. But they are so superior to the rest that, even if they are away from competition for a long time, they barely drop in the ranking,” he explains.

Del Potro even believes that the Spanish player's decision to be more selective about where to compete may eventually spread among the best players on the circuit.

“Carlitos is right when he says he will play the tournaments he wants and not those in which he is asked to be present. I think this will become a widespread trend among the top players. It’s important to listen to your own body. My mistake, unlike Alcaraz, was not giving my wrist all the time it needed to fully recover.”

Del Potro praises Carlos Alcaraz

When the conversation shifts to strictly sporting tennis, Delpo does not hide his admiration for the two great figures of the new generation. He sees in Jannik Sinner many traits that for years identified Novak Djokovic.

“Jannik reminds me a lot of Djokovic because of his characteristics. The elasticity, the speed, the solidity from the back of the court, and his intelligence.” But when he has to choose a current player to play a hypothetical last match, Del Potro goes with Alcaraz.

“Carlitos is a special being; he has something more: the empathy and the ability he has to connect with people. He has Latin blood and a smile capable of winning over anyone. I would have to ask him not to play drop shots, because he wouldn’t reach any!”

 

 

Rafa Jodar, one of the names that catches Delpo's attention

Del Potro also follows with interest the players who are beginning to make their way in the circuit. There is one in particular who has caught his attention: Rafa Jodar. “I really like Rafa Jodar. He is tall, solid from the baseline, and has a good combination of serve and forehand. I think he has enormous potential.”

His analysis is particularly interesting due to the similarities he finds in a playing pattern that the Argentine himself exploited during his career, such as power from the baseline, point leadership trying to dominate opponents, and the ability to exploit rallies with his forehand.

Nevertheless, Delpo currently dismisses any possibility of becoming a coach, even though he acknowledges having received offers from important players. “I have received offers from top-level players, but I am still not ready. As a player, I suffered too much with travel, airplanes, and being away from home. I don’t see myself returning to that lifestyle. For now, commenting on tennis for ESPN is more than enough for me.”

Djokovic, Messi, and two unrepeatable figures

One of the most special connections that Del Potro maintains within the circuit is the one he has with Novak Djokovic. The Serbian was with him in Buenos Aires during his farewell, and the Argentine has never hidden the enormous respect he feels for him.

“I still love watching Novak play, win or lose. He is an extraordinary person. Novak and Leo (Messi) are those giants of sport who inspire everyone and who feed off the passion they feel for what they do. When Djokovic and Messi retire definitively, the world will clearly be poorer. There will never be anyone like them again.”

The memory that still moves Del Potro

There is something, however, that no television broadcast can give back to him. “The energy of a full stadium. That twenty thousand people applaud you in New York represents the essence of this sport.” His memory inevitably travels to September 14, 2009, when he defeated Roger Federer in a memorable US Open final and won the most important title of his career.

“The day I lifted the US Open trophy after defeating Federer was the happiest day of my life. If I had known everything that it would ultimately cost me, I would have thought twice.”

 

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Del Potro se deshace en elogios hacia Alcaraz: "Es un ser especial"