In English, the Spanish word "potro" can be translated as stallion. And by reaching the final tennis match in the Rio Olympic Games, Juan Martin Del Potro proved once more that he is a stallion, with enormous energy and strength to confront his adversaries. At the Olympic Games he defeated first Novak Djokovik (the world's No. 1 player) and then Rafael Nadal to reach the final match with Andy Murray.
Although Del Potro lost, he proved to be a worthy opponent. As The New York Times stated, "Andy Murray put a brighter shine on his finest tennis season by winning his second straight Olympic gold medal in singles on Sunday night, but surely Juan Martin Del Potro deserves something more precious than silver."
His achievement is significant since he was unable to play for years, during which he went through four rounds of surgery for his wrist. He entered the Rio Olympic Games ranked No. 141 in the world. After defeating Joao Sousa, Taro Daniel and Roberto Bautista Agut, Del Potro played against Nadal. During that match, there was a marked contrast between the self-assured stand of the Spaniard and the almost worrisome look in Del Potro's face.