The
Argentine, Juan Martin del Potro, won tickets to the tournament year-end
ATP World Tour Finals, which will take place in London next month.
Former Grand Slam champion's U.S. Open after the left-hander got Spain,
Rafael Nadal, was forced to withdraw from the tournament that brings
the world's top eight players, due to prolonged injury.
Del Potro, who since last week had almost certainly escaped to London
after winning the title in Vienna, admitted very pleased to be
performing again. This is the third time Del Potro appeared in the ATP World Tour Finals.
However, he was sympathetic to Nadal, who has not recovered from a left knee injury since last June.
Del Potro said he knew very well how he feels the world number four is
the situation now, because he also had a wrist injury that forced him to
miss all of 2010.
"I'm sad because Rafa, he was trying hard to get back. However not easy
after a long time. I have the same feeling with my wrist," said Del
Potro, who made it to the quarter-finals Swiss Indoor, Thursday (25/10 /
2012), after a 7-5, 6-1 win over American player Brian Baker.
"We really miss Rafa on Tour. He's one of the best players in history,
he will come back strong. Sure I will soon. He will be ready to come
back to win a big event, and I know he can play better than me when I
returned. I hope that best for him.
Regarding his success leading the ATP World Tour Finals, the 2009 U.S.
Open champion added: "For me, this is the gift for this year's effort.
Only eight players are fighting for a tournament. Eight player of the
year, so it is very important to me.
"I am excited to be back there. I will fight against the big names and maybe I will have a chance to reach the final."
Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, David Ferrer and Tomas Berdych had won a ticket to London. After Del Potro had to get it, then only the remaining two places were empty. Two tickets will be contested by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Janko Tipsarevic, Richard Gasquet and Nicolas Almagro.
Earlier, Nadal confirmed that conditions were not fit so had to pass through the ATP World Tour Finals.
In fact, the former world number one is also not likely to strengthen
Spain in Davis Cup final, which starts on 16 November next.
"It mengewakan for me miss the last two tournaments this season in
Paris and London. Hopefully I can soon resume training after I got
kemajuaan tennis with my recovery from injury. I was not ready to
compete in time for tournaments, so I will continue my recovery in
Mallorca and beakerja hard to get back as soon as possible, "said Nadal.
He did not play in a competitive tournament since the shocking defeat
of unseeded Czech Lukas Rosol, in the second round at Wimbledon June 28. In September, he said he would not be back following tournaments until he was 100 percent fit.
Nadal also missed the Olympics and the U.S. Open. But first, he hopes to play in London on November 5 to 12, and in the Davis Cup final against the Czechs in Prague, next week.
