Tennis has earned its place

Four sets, four hours: Andy Murray wins 2nd #gold for #GBR vs. Juan Martin del Potro. ICYMI: https://t.co/7iHXRFR1Qf pic.twitter.com/l8vXH4t2OJ

— TENNIS.com (@Tennis) August 15, 2016

By Jon Kroiter

Thank you Rio for saving one of the tennis’ most promising players.

Justin Rose may have claimed the prestigious crown of becoming the best male golfer on the planet who is immune to the Zika virus.

Male golfers can’t have any complaints if the sport is pulled from the Tokyo Games in 2020.
However, Juan Martin Del Potro has shown the world that tennis shouldn’t be placed in the same category as golf.

Not only did he beat Djokovic and Nadal on his way to claiming silver but he showed that these highly paid athletes care.

He made Djokovic cry after beating him in the first round. Novak Djokovic. The man who everyone assumed would waltz into the final at the very least.

The man known as the Djoker has already earned over $US100 million in prize money alone. The world number one golfer, Jason Day, has won just over a third of that. The Serbian cried at not being able to claim a medal. Day and a number of his contemporaries didn’t want to go.

When Del Potro reached the gold medal match against defending champion Andy Murray, the Scot’s reaction showed how much an Olympic gold means.

The Games weren’t about putting on a good show. It was about winning the elusive title that can only be won every four years.

Del Potro was undoubtedly the biggest tennis story from Rio. The 2009 US Open champion, currently ranked 141, appeared to have been lost to the sport after a succession of wrist injuries looked to have robbed him of his career.

Now, Del Potro is back.