'This is farewell' - Juan Martin del Potro says he'll retire after Argentina Open

Tennis player Juan Martin del Potro has announced his retirement from the sport due to a knee injury.

Del Potro said the Argentina Open, which starts on 7 February, will be his last tournament despite having a wild card for the Rio Open later this month.

The 33-year-old Argentine won the US Open in 2009 and is a Wimbledon and French Open semi-finalist.

«I think this is one of the most difficult messages I will ever deliver,» he said.

«I know that people are expecting me to return to tennis, but this may be more of a farewell than a return.

»I have strength to go forward but my knee is becoming a nightmare. I have been trying alternative treatments for a number of years, with different doctors and attempts to fix it. But I have still not found a solution. But I never imagined retiring from tennis without having the chance to say goodbye and I can't imagine a better tournament than Buenos Aires to do it.

«After these weeks we will see what happens with my future, but I am clear that I want to live like a person of 33 years and try to not have pain. It's a difficult decision, but I wanted to make it clear.»

Del Potro, who has bronze and silver Olympic medals, last played in June 2019 and has had four operations on his knee in the time since.

The former world number three has slipped to 757th in the rankings.