BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Juan Martin del Potro, who won the 2009 US Open, says he is likely to retire from professional tennis after playing tournaments in Buenos Aires this week and then in Rio de Janeiro.

Del Potro’s career has been marred by injury, and he has been off the circuit since 2019. He faces fellow Argentine Federico Delbonis on Tuesday in the Argentine capital.

Once ranked as high as No. 3 in the world, del Potro said Saturday with tears in his eyes that he was in a difficult moment and knew people were expecting him to return to tennis.

« It might not be like that, and maybe it’s more of a farewell than a comeback, » he said of his planned tournament play.

Del Potro has had multiple wrist and knee surgeries in the past decade.

« The knee has me living a nightmare,″ he said at a news conference. ″For many years I have been trying alternatives and treatments and doctors and different ways to solve it. »

But he said, ″I have not been able to do it. »