Juan Martin del Potro biography

Synopsis

Juan Martin del Potro was born September 23, 1988, in Tandil, Argentina. By the age of 12, he had earned a spot as the representative for Argentina in the Nike Junior Tour. In 2004 he won his first professional match at the International Tennis Federation event. Since then he has become the youngest player to finish in the Top 100 in 2006, the Top 50 in 2007 and the Top 10 in 2008.

Profile

Athlete. Born September 23, 1988, in Tandil, Argentina. His father, Daniel, was a semi-professional rugby player in Argentina and a veterinarian. His mother, Patricia, is an educator.

Del Potro began playing tennis at age seven at the Club Independiente de Tandil, training with famed coach Marcelo Gómez. That same year, he played his first national championship in Bragado, Buenos Aires. By the age of 12, he had earned a spot as the representative for Argentina in the Nike Junior Tour.

In 2004, at the age of 15, del Potro won his first professional match in Buenos Aires at the International Tennis Federation event. Since then, del Potro has become the youngest player to finish in the Top 100 in 2006, in the Top 50 in 2007, and the Top 10 in 2008. Seeded sixth at the 2009 US Open, del Potro advanced to the semi-finals, ensuring his return to the top five in the world rankings. In the 2009 Grand Slam singles final, del Potro has become the first Argentine to achieve the honor since 2005. In the final, he faced world champion Roger Federer for the championship. In five sets, he defeated the Swiss great in one of the greatest tennis upsets and won his first Grand Slam title.