Diego Schwartzman doubles his win over Edmund in singles and doubles
The Argentine hadn't been very lucky since the new season. He had lost the round of 32 to the veteran Tomas Berdych in 4 sets. If that wasn't bad enough he suffered another loss in his home country at the Argentina Open in the final with Marco Cecchinato in straight sets. Schwartzman then had to face Rafael Nadal at the second round of the Miami Open. But it was the 'King of Clay' who had his game turned up a few notches and defeated him in straight sets.
Everyone anticipates the clay season. Some dislike the surface, others not feeling one way or the other and yet a few who play it with pleasure and win. Schwartzman is deemed a clay court specialist by many and his opening round at the Monte-Carlo tournament with Kyle Edmund started off as a shocker. Despite him holding two ATP titles: One in 2016 at the Istanbul Open defeating Grigor Dimitrov and in 2018 the Rio Open in Brazil against Fernando Verdasco. It is Schwartzman's opponent, Kyle Edmund who is Britain's no. 1 player since Andy Murray's injury and it was last year at the European Open in Belgium that he defeated Gael Monfils. But Edmund thought he'd be lucky again with Schwartzman, but no such chance. The first set was Edmund's total aggression over the Argentinian winning 6-4. But yet, the second set was quite a reversal of minds as Schwartzman came back and won nine straight games tieing the set at 3-all. The Argentinian had begun to get aggressive on his favourite surface and dug deep, opening up the court, passing down the lines and being clever to win three more games and the second set at 6-3.
It was the determination and part of the surface that made Schwartzman play tough. Edmund had lead in the decider 3-1. Things were looking bleak for the Argentinian, but he knew bringing his game up was the only way of getting the win. He capitalized on perhaps a tired Edmund to win the next 3 games and the set. It seemed fateful that the Argentinian would defeat Edmund, sending him packing in his singles game. There was a doubles coming up, a chance to take down Edmund again but it would have to be dynamic plays to claim a victory now. Schwartzman knew his partner Joao Sousa had the skills having captured 11 Future and Challenger titles together. The wonder is if the Brit team with Neal Skupski, Edmund's partner could defeat them.
The opening set Edmund and Skupski had good court coverage and worked together creating the perfect winning combinations of shots down-the-line or cross courts that were brilliant enough so to win the first set off of Schwartzman and his partner Joao Sousa 7-5. The second set Schwartzman and his partner fought hard, corrected mistakes and was able to move Edmund around thanks to the Argentine having the experience in singles to capitalize and they won the set 6-4. The Brits started giving their opponents gifts of unforced errors and had clearly fallen off their mark to win points over their devious aggressors.
It was soon that Schwartzman and Sousa were coming to the net as victors winning 5-7, 6-4, 10-5. The Argentine had done it. Schwartzman not only doubled his wins in singles and doubles but graciously moves onto the next round of both levels. Consistency, as well as a bit of luck and a good doubles partner, prevailed with the hopes that it will follow them in the rounds to come.
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2UJNgTl
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