Paris (AFP)

Semi-finalist at Roland-Garros a year ago, finalist at the US Open three months later, ridden for the first time on the world podium in the meantime, Juan Martin Del Potro was once again betrayed by his body. At 30, the Argentinian is working to make a comeback.

When Del Potro sits his long figure in a press conference on Tuesday, after his 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 victory over Chilean Nicolas Jarry (58) in the first round, he is not yet fifteen hours. "There I have it until nine or ten at night with the care, between the wrist, the knee ... And I arrived very early too," he smiled, "I learned to live with that, it's part of my life, my career. "

That sums up the life of the great Argentinean (1.98 m), so often bothered by his imposing body.

It is of course his wrists, the right first, operated in the spring of 2010, the left especially, operated three times in fifteen months, between March 2014 and June 2015, who have long martyred. Until it tumbles beyond the 1000th place in early 2016.

- After the wrists, the knee -

But it's his right knee - precisely his kneecap, fractured early last October in Shanghai - the last to have played him a bad trick. So at the foot of the world podium, qualified for the end of year Masters for the first time since 2013, "Delpo" dreams of other summits.

This umpteenth blow puts him back into bad memories.

"Emotionally, there was something in common with what I went through a few years ago, when I went through a tormented period, memories of the past began to rise," he said in early May in Madrid, where He returned to the competition after seven months off only interrupted by an inconclusive test in Delray Beach (Florida) at the end of February.

In the Spanish capital, the South American bowed (against Djere), despite a match point. In Rome the following week, in the quarterfinals, against the world No.1 Novak Djokovic, despite two match points.

What is he then looking for at Roland Garros? "The important thing is to be there For the moment, I do not care about the results," he summed up on the eve of the Paris fortnight.

"I'm playing well, but my goal is still my knee, my physical condition, and what I'm looking for is to be 100% for the second half of the season. better shape, I can focus on the results, that's what I want to think about, not my knee or my wrist, "he says after qualifying for the second round.

- "Ready to try once more" -

"I have high expectations but for later, not right now, I want to be careful, I'm going quietly," Del Potro insists.

At least two elements nevertheless encourage optimism.

First his dizzying performance against Djokovic in Rome a dozen days ago, where he was up to get two match points in the decisive game of the second set (4-6, 7-6 (6/8 ), 6-4).

"I was surprised, he admits, I played great tennis for three hours, at a very high intensity, against the world No. 1, which is very encouraging for the future."

The awakening in his game of his lapel covered, that his recalcitrant wrists had anesthetized.

"It benefits my whole game." I played a lot of setbacks along the line and hit a lot of winning shots (in Rome), it's a very good thing, and now I can vary with my sliced ​​backhand, I have improved in recent years, "he says.

But with "Delpo", there is always a if. "If my wrist allows me," he says, "I'll hit my back, my forehand too, and I'll have a full game."

He repeats it day after day, his priority is to "stay healthy".

"I really hope to start my year now and continue playing until the end of the year," he said at the beginning of the month, "I know how long it takes to come back, but I'm ready to try once more."

? 2019 AFP