Del Potro working hard to get ready in time for Australian Open

WATCH—Court Report - Players that retired from men's game:

Juan Martin del Potro’s status for the Australian Open remains uncertain.

The Argentine, who has not competed since fracturing his kneecap at Shanghai, recently returned to training but has not committed to coming back at the beginning of next season.

"I am excited and will do everything I can," he said in an online radio interview, talking about playing the Australian Open.

The former Grand Slam champion won Miami and reached the final of the US Open, recording his best season since coming back from repeated wrist problems. He was very encouraged by his play in 2018.

"To think I was No. 3 in the world at 30, and then I had stupidly had the fracture," he said. "At the height of my career, prior to the injuries, I never thought I could break the barrier of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray, and now I did it with everything that happened."

Though frustrated to be hit by injury again, del Potro also says he is drawing confidence from his previous comeback.

"I never before thought I had the inner strength to recover from these problems," he said. "There were [tough] moments because of everything I had to go through with the wrists, but I took it as something that gave me strength."

Del Potro is currently No. 5 in the rankings.