Rafael Nadal victory gives Schwartzman an injection of confidence. Diego Schwartzman didn’t win a single title in the 2020 season, but he did make some admirable achievements.
The Argentine national managed to end the 2020 season by breaking into the top 10 and qualifying at the ATP Finals, London for the first time in his career.
The player, who has not claimed a single win in the ATP Finals group stage, enjoyed the biggest win of his career to date last September when he beat Rafael Nadal in straight sets in the Italian Open quarter-finals, before advancing to the final of the first Masters 1000 tournament of his career and losing. from Novak Djokovic in straight sets.
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The win over the world number 2 at the Italian Open was a motivational injection for the world number 9 who beat Dominic Thiem by five sets at the French Open, a victory that saw him reach the semifinals of the first Grand Slam of his career.
“The win over Nadal at the Italian Open gave me confidence and I used that momentum to beat Shapovalov (in the semifinals). I had to fight extra hard against Shapovalov. But I stay focused and keep thinking positive. The two wins are some of the best victories of my career,” explained Schwartzman.
Before meeting at the Italian Open for the 2020 season, Schwartzman, who then lost to Nadal in the semifinals of the French Open, was sure he had never had such a good match against a world number 2.
What made this victory quite surprising was that the 28-year-old won over the 2020 French Open champion on the Grand Slam champion’s favorite field.
“I have met the Big Three several times. I haven’t beaten them until my win over Nadal in Rome and played my best game. The match was very similar to my match against Nadal at the French Open three seasons ago and I am very happy,” added Schwartzman.
” didn’t really think about beating him, because I didn’t play very well at the time, but in that game I did my best. I have met him nine times before. Four of them I was helpless, but in Rome, I took all the opportunities he gave me. I also stay focused and I think that is the key to my victory.”
What the Argentine nationalist regrets is the absence of fans during the match.
