Juan Martín del Potro – The Tower of Tandil – is one of the most celebrated names in South American tennis. During his two-decade-long career, he won two Olympic medals and also became the US Open champion in 2009. However, he didn’t play much between June 2019 and February 2022 because of his knee injury. Last year on December 2, the 36-year-old Argentine superstar officially bid farewell to the sport in a tearful exhibition match against the Serb, Novak Djokovic, in Buenos Aires. Delpo was very emotional about the fact that Djokovic accepted his “crazy idea” of being part of his farewell in Argentina, despite his busy schedule. Taking his friendship with Nole to new heights, the former World No. 3 has now opened up about the possibility of him taking up a role in Djokovic’s coaching team. But what’s Djoko’s reaction to it?

Recently, Juan Martín del Potro gave an exclusive interview to Olympics.com during his visit to São Paulo for the Roland Garros Junior Series. When he was asked what, according to him, motivates Djokovic to keep playing at the age of 37, he said, “Winning a Grand Slam is something very personal for him, I believe. I believe he can win more Slams. In tennis terms, he is the best. He has a lot of experience. If he can be in good physical shape, he will keep trying and possibly succeed. It would be a great thing for the world of tennis if he manages to win again after some time, as he did in Paris with the gold medal.”

Almost four months after officially retiring from the sport, what’s Del Potro up to? “I have my tennis academy in Boynton Beach, Florida. That excites me a lot, coaching kids, all kinds of people. To be a full-time coach, you have to travel a lot again, be all over the world. I did that for 20 years, and I’m tired. But of course, if Novak asks me to work with him, I’ll be happy [laughs]. I couldn’t say no to him, but now I think so. The door is not 100% closed, but I think that moment [to be a coach on the circuit] will come,” the Argentinian revealed.

Novak Djokovic currently has Andy Murray as his coach, and while announcing his partnership with the Brit earlier this season, he had said Murray would continue as his coach for an “indefinite period.” Is there any possibility he will change his mind, considering Del Potro’s interest? Well, time will tell!

Djokovic is now keen to make a strong comeback from a disappointing campaign at Monte Carlo with a strong start in Madrid. Coach Murray is also set to return to Madrid after having missed the tournament in Monte Carlo. But speaking about the possibilities of adding Del Potro to his coaching setup, the Serb said, “For now, I’m fine, but you never know. He was in Miami watching my matches, more than a few, from the box, so that was also exciting because I really admire his tennis as well and the way he played it. We talked a little bit about the game, and it was very interesting to listen to him and to see how he observes the game. So, you never know, let’s see, I’m a young player, I have a lot of time, so I have many years to think about it.“

Later, he even went on to share kind words for the Argentine. Djokovic hailed Del Potro as a “great friend” and someone whom he really likes a lot as a person. He also spoke about the wonderful time he had during his visit to Argentina.

Interesting Fact: Del Potro defeated Djokovic 6-4,7-5 in his farewell match, that too in front of a crowd of 15,000 in Buenos Aires.

Taking a further look at their love and admiration for each other, Del Potro once lauded Novak Djokovic as “not only the greatest in sports history but also in life.” In November 2024, during a fun quiz on social media, he even picked the Serb over Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal as the greatest ever to play the sport.

Djokovic is currently the lone man standing from the elite ‘Big 3’ in tennis. But he is still flying the flag high for the “older guys” amid a generational shift.

“I’m still trying to stay” – Novak Djokovic speaks about representing the older generation

Novak Djokovic has returned to the Madrid Open for the first time in almost three years. The three-time champion (2011,2016, and 2019) is keen to clinch his long-awaited 100th ATP tour-level singles title. Only two players have won 100 ATP titles so far in the history of the sport – Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103). Can Djokovic join this elite list with a stellar performance in Madrid? Well, the road to glory won’t be easy, as several youngsters are ready to pose a challenge to the 24-time Grand Slam champion.

How does Djokovic look at the changing landscape of the ATP Tour with the young players coming through? “You can feel there’s a shift. Not only in terms of the generations of players [who now have] the main focus and attention, but I guess it takes a little bit of time for people to accept the fact that Roger and Rafa are not playing, and Murray, and I guess one day myself, but I’m still trying to stay there and represent the older guys, the older generation,” Nole said.

The Serb maestro will be facing Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi in the R64 of the 2025 Madrid Open on Saturday, April 26. With the withdrawal of Carlos Alcaraz from the tournament due to injury, Djokovic has a great chance to make a mark in this tournament, as Alcaraz could have been his biggest nemesis on clay.

Are you backing Novak Djokovic to go all the way and win the 2025 Madrid Open? Share your thoughts in the comments below.