Could Juan Martin Del Potro Become the Derrick Rose of the ATP Tour?

Juan Martin del Potro's injury-plagued career bears a sad resemblance to that of the NBA's Derrick Rose. Two talented superstars who appeared destined for greatness have instead suffered several setbacks.

Complete recovery, once forecast with "when," now registers as an "if." 

Yesterday, according to the ATP Tour's official website, Del Potro withdrew from the Indian Wells Masters 1000 tournament just days after accepting a wild card. It was the latest false start in Del Potro's attempt to return from a second wrist surgery. 

Meanwhile, Amara Grautski of the New York Daily News reported on a creepy shrine Chicago Bulls fans dedicated to Rose. Located beneath a Chicago highway, the makeshift "memorial" sprung up near where some claimed to have seen a vision of the Virgin Mary. The shrine features a pair of crutches, flowers, candles and a Christ-like portrait of Rose with the the words "Pray-4-Rose." 

The 2011 NBA MVP underwent another knee surgery last month. He took questions from the media yesterday on a possible return before the playoffs. 

There have been no public sightings of shrines to Del Potro, a man open about his deep faith. A devout Catholic, Del Potro carried rosary beads blessed by Pope Francis before they were stolen when he was mugged on Eurostar en route to Paris.  

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Del Potro told The Telegraph that meeting the Pope and having him bless his rosary beads was among the biggest moments in his life. 

It's understandable that faithful fans might turn to prayers for Rose and Del Potro. Modern medicine seems inefficient in keeping the players healthy. 

Fans root for these guys because they are as humble as they are talented. Both soft-spoken, Rose and Del Potro are well liked on and off the court. 

Del Potro smashed his way into the spotlight with a fierce forehand. Only a major league slugger's homer coming off the bat cracks as loudly. He blasted Roger Federer off the court to win the 2009 U.S. Open.

Only 19 at the time, Del Potro appeared on his way to several Slam titles. 

He reached a career-high No. 4 in January 2010, but he then received news of a serious wrist injury. He took several tournaments off following the Australian Open before undergoing surgery to repair his right wrist.

He had hoped to return to defend his U.S. Open title. However, a week before the start of the tournament, Del Potro withdrew, citing issues with the wrist. He would miss most of the 2010 season. 

Del Potro returned to the tour in 2011 and slowly rebuilt his career and climbed the rankings. By 2012, he looked back in peak form. He returned to the top 10 and captured the bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics in London.

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In 2013, Del Potro was back in the top five and was voted Argentina's Sportsman of the Year. 

Del Potro was back and in perfect position to disrupt the Big Four. However, post-Australian Open, another wrist injury surfaced. This time, it was his left wrist. 

He underwent surgery in the spring and missed the rest of 2014. 

This year, Del Potro again returned in Australia. He looked fine at the Sydney International. He was scheduled to play in the Australian Open but withdrew shortly before the opening round.

His withdrawal from Indian Wells came with a familiar message: not ready yet.

Pity. The tour misses Del Potro.

The pop the ball makes when met with his racket cracks eardrums.

Richard Berger, the surgeon who operated on Del Potro's wrist, described to The New York Times how the Argentinean's biggest weapon—the forehand—has been his Achilles heel:

"

It’s almost like the ball is going, for a moment, supersonic. There’s such tremendous transfer of total body energy. This is energy that springs from the legs, up through the spine, down the arm to the forearm and across the wrist to the racket. At some point, either through genetics or the playing style, the structural integrity of any of those structures is exceeded. For any given individual, the force is greater than the structures are capable of withstanding. That’s where the injury comes from.

"

That raises the question of whether Del Potro’s structure will ever be able to handle the power with which he plays. How possible is it to change a stroke than landed him a U.S. Open title? 

The psychological barriers may prove tougher to overcome than the injuries. Tennis players depend on mental prowess perhaps more than any professional athlete. Doubts erode confidences. Eroded confidence leads to indecision and hesitation. Unforced errors mount, and the player is soon left searching for the game he or she used to have.

Then there are tactical challenges of trying to climb through. His appeal and former top-10 status will gain him wild cards. Yet he must still play his way through the draw. 

Del Potro, like Rose, is more than injured. He is injury prone. His once-promising career is playing out like an old broken record, complete with scratches and bumpy patches. Comebacks, followed by setbacks. 

Both born in 1988, Del Potro and Rose are young men with plenty of time to recover. But will their bodies and minds cooperate?

Del Potro and Rose used to soar at the top of their sports. Now, they struggle just to get back in the game.