Juan Martin del Potro unlikely to play in 2017 Australian Open Grand Slam

Juan Martin del Potro, who won the silver medal in Rio Olympics 2016 and helped Argentina win the Davis Cup for the first time, is unlikely to play in the 2017 Australian Open.

Juan Martin del Potro is unlikely to be fit enough to play in the 2017 Australian Open, the Argentine told a news conference on Tuesday.

Juan Martin del Potro is unlikely to feature in the 2017 Australian Open after enjoying a magnificent 2016. (Getty Images)

The former U.S. Open champion also cast doubt on whether he would play in the Davis Cup first round tie at home to Italy in February when Argentina begin the defence of their title.

“What I need is to have someone get me physically fit enough to last the whole year,” he said.

“There’s a fortnight to the Australia Open and I’m unlikely to make that objective. We’re looking at what the priority is. If tennis waited for me for two years, Australia can wait for me for one more.”

Having been plagued by injury problems, he enjoyed an unexpectedly good 2016 season, having recovered from a third wrist operation early in the year.

The 28-year-old won the silver medal at the Rio Olympics in August, after knocking out favourite Novak Djokovic in the opening round, then helped Argentina win the Davis Cup for the first time.

Argentina begin the defence of their title against Italy in Buenos Aires from Feb. 3-5, but Del Potro said he was unsure if he would feature in the tie.

“There’s still some time to the first tie against Italy but not so much and it’s going to be on clay and that’s a surface I struggle on,” he said.