'The victory against Rafael Nadal was special', says Top 10

2020 has so far been the best year of his entire career for Diego Schwartzman. The Argentine has entered the Top 10 of the ATP rankings for the first time this season, as well as securing participation in the Nitto ATP Finals in London. The 28-year-old South American also scored his first overall victory against Rafael Nadal, eliminating the Spanish phenomenon in the quarterfinals of the BNL Internationals of Italy. 'El Peque' also shined at Roland Garros, where he reached the semi-finals by surprisingly beating US Open winner Dominic Thiem. Diego could do nothing against Nadal, who took his revenge by flying towards his 13th triumph in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. In a long interview granted to Pagina12, Schwartzman has selected the three key moments of his 2020. It will take a short time for the beginning of 2021, with the Australian Open scheduled from 8 to 21 February to allow players to carry out the two weeks mandatory quarantine.

Schwartzman on his best moments

"The victory against Dominic Thiem, the victory against Rafael Nadal, there we already have two...and then we are going to get more sentimental: the photo that I always put at the end of the year when I return and have the barbecue with my family and the people I love, which is always the same." Diego Schwartzman also explained why his time at home with family and friends is so important to him. "It is an important photo because I like to remain the same person, even if others have to say that," the Argentine said. "I believe that I am the same person as always and it is fundamental in my ethics of life." For the 28-year-old, being healthy and continuing to improve in the rankings are the top priorities for the 2021 season. "I try to be realistic," Schwartzman said. "The place I am in today I earned it, I deserve it, I worked for it. And once I did, I was able to sustain it in tournaments. Beyond the Masters (ATP Finals in London), where I would have liked to compete better, I did very well in all the tournaments after Roland Garros, which was when I got top 10. I have the peace of mind that I was able to continue competing with the pressure of having reached the top 10," he added. "That is the goal: to win matches that take you higher, but it is the reality of tennis. My goal is to be healthy and play 100%, because when I play my best I know that I can win many games."

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/38Cdewl