BUENOS AIRES, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) -- Argentine tennis player Juan Martin del Potro said Friday that he will return to the professional circuit as he recovers from a knee injury that left him pondering retirement.
Del Potro has not played since fracturing the patella in his right knee for the second time in nine months during the Queen's ATP 500 tournament in London in June.
"Hello everyone, I wanted to greet you and also tell you that I will play tennis again soon," Del Potro told his fans through his Instagram account.
Days after the latest injury setback, the 30-year-old told reporters that he "did not know" if he had played his last match.
The world No. 16 eased those fears and said he was feeling good after surgery.
"I still don't know the exact date but in the next few days we'll find out," Del Potro said of his return to competition.
The 2009 US Open champion has been beset by injuries in recent years and long periods on the sidelines saw his career ranking plummet to 1,045th place in 2016.
Last year he won two ATP titles and reached the final of the US Open, where he was beaten by Novak Djokovic.
