AUCKLAND, December 24, 2016

Juan Martin Del Potro will miss the start of the new season, starting in January. The 28-year-old from Argentina has struggled with wrist problems since reaching a career-high World No. 4 in 2010 and announced overnight his withdrawal from the ASB Classic in Auckland as well as the Australian Open.

Del Potro told the organisers of the ATP 250 event that he has “not had sufficient recovery time”.

“It is really disappointing for us all. We were very excited to see Juan Martin play in Auckland,” tournament director Karl Budge told. “It is disappointing for tennis in general that these ongoing issues are keeping him off court.”

After missing most of the 2014 and 2015 seasons, del Potro returned in 2016 to reach the Gold Medal match of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and helped Argentina to win a first Davis Cup in November.

Del Potro was the 2016 tennis comeback success story, as he started the year ranked 1,042th but finished the season at World No. 38, celebrating wins over Stan Wawrinka, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal as well as Andy Murray.

“Tennis waited for me for two years and it can wait one more Australian Open,” said del Potro on Wednesday. We hope for a speedy recovery and quick return!