Diego Schwartzman: 'My season-best wins came against Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem'

At the age of 28, Diego Schwartzman will finish the season inside the top-10 for the first time. The Argentine failed to win the title in 2020, finishing it with a 25-15 score and securing his best result on the beloved clay in Rome and Roland Garros. Diego claimed 1320 points at those two events, enough to crack the top-10 and secure the ATP Finals berth following Roger Federer's withdrawal. Talking about the season's most notable victories, Schwartzman picked those against Rafael Nadal in Rome and Dominic Thiem at Roland Garros, giving his everything in those encounters and proving he belongs among the world's finest players. At Foro Italico, Diego defeated Rafa 6-2, 7-5 in the quarter-final, for the first triumph over the Spaniard. The Argentine scored five breaks and got broken twice, producing a fantastic mixture of aggressive and defensive tennis to dethrone Rafa and advance into the semis.

Schwartzman hit 31 winners and 17 unforced errors, playing on a high level from start to finish and remaining calm in the decisive moments for one of the career-best triumphs. The Argentine won five straight games in the opener, gathering momentum at 1-2 and stealing Nadal's serve in games five and seven for commanding 6-2. With momentum on his side, Schwartzman forged two break chances at the beginning of the second set with a backhand crosscourt winner, wasting them both and landing a backhand wide to hand the game to Nadal. Rafa delivered another masterclass serve & volley combo in game five to repel a break point, bringing the game home to remain in touch. Diego held at 15 a few minutes later thanks to a backhand down the line winner and broke Nadal a few minutes later when the Spaniard opted for another terrible drop shot. Turning on his fighting spirit, Rafa pulled the break back with a smash winner, leveled the score at 4-4 and wished for more in the rest of the set.

Diego Schwartzman scored notable wins in Rome and Paris.

Not looking back, Diego grabbed a break at love with a forehand down the line winner in game nine, serving for the victory in the next one. Refusing to surrender, Nadal broke back at love to extend the clash, struggling but giving his everything to turn the tables around. With nothing working his way behind the initial shot, Nadal suffered a break at 15 when Schwartzman landed a backhand winner, with the Argentine sealing the deal with a volley winner in the next one. At Roland Garros, Schwartzman met the two-time finalist Dominic Thiem and scored an epic 7-6, 5-7, 6-7, 7-6, 6-2 victory in five hours and eight minutes.

It was one of the Majors' best encounters in 2020, keeping the crowd on Court Philippe-Chatrier on their feet for four sets before Diego shifted into a higher gear and toppled a great friend in the decider. Trailing two sets to one, Schwartzman grabbed the fourth set tie break and gathered momentum for the decider, where Thiem had nothing left in the tank, playing the second marathon in a couple of days.

"My proudest moments on the court in 2020 came in notable triumphs against Rafael Nadal in Rome and Dominic Thiem at Roland Garros. They were essential for my confidence and helped me reach the top-10 for the first time," Diego Schwartzman said.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2JtCRa5