Between Indian Wells and Miami, there have been ample intriguing storylines and Cinderella stories.  One of the best and most inspirational among them is that of Juan Martin del Potro.  The Argentine finds himself still in the hunt to complete the Sunshine Double and firmly re-establishing himself as one of the top title-contenders at any event that he enters.

The saga of del Potro is well known.  Nearly a decade ago he claimed his lone major singles title in a five-set thriller over Roger Federer at the US Open.  He was a man many predicted would be a future Number 1.  A cycle of frustrating injuries and multiple surgeries on his troublesome wrists put those dreams on hold, however, and even the Argentine admitted he doubted whether he would ever be able to return to the upper echelons of the game.

Thankfully, against all odds, he is back to playing top-shelf tennis, and it could not come at a better time for him or the sport.  As with so many other players on tour, the biggest roadblocks to his success have been the members of the Big 4, but presently, they do not represent as stiff of a challenge given that most of them are trying to rediscover their own best level of play or are out on the sidelines altogether.  It has provided him with more lucrative opportunities to make inroads at the most prestigious events and capitalize on them as he did with his maiden Masters title win over Federer earlier this month at Indian Wells.   That, in turn, helps him raise his ranking and theoretically enjoy more favorable draws going forward.  In short, this is an ideal time for him to be hitting his stride.

Tennis could also greatly benefit from del Potro returning to the top on two levels.  First is that he has the kind of game that draws in fans.  Few possess the kind of awe-inducing power that he can produce from that forehand wing, which is sure to go down as one of the biggest in the history of the sport.  He is not all about the firepower though.  He has some nice variety from the backhand wing, sharp hands in the forecourt, and for a man his size, defensively covers the court exceptionally well.  He is a complete package that makes the game interesting, which earns him plenty of appreciation.

Del Potro is also good for tennis in that he is such an easy guy to like.  He is often referred to as the “Gentle Giant,” and it is a nickname that is well deserved.  As with any player, on the rare occasion he might get a bit prickly in the heat of the moment, but for the most part, he is a guy who rolls with the punches, doing his job with considerable aplomb.  Furthermore, his ability to rise above all the injuries serves an inspirational journey that makes him even more endearing to fans.  And lastly, with the Big 4 currently not as prevalent as they have been in years past, del Potro is a former Grand Slam Champion, who serves as a familiar and popular face to help fill that void.

With any luck, del Potro will continue to cement his place back at the top of the sport.  He has put in the hard yards and deserves it, and no doubt his army of fans across the globe would love to see him stake that claim.  Had fate not so cruelly intervened, he likely would have been there a long time ago.  That said, it surely makes what he is doing now all the sweeter, and as the saying goes, it is better late than never.