Roland Garros 2023 will mark a break in the career of Tomás Etcheverry. The platense arrived in Paris almost as an "unknown" and without resounding results in the ATP circuit. He had only played two finals, in 250-category tournaments, and had only one main draw victory at Grand Slam tournaments, in January in Australia. But in Paris he played at a very high level, showed the world the talent and tennis he has on his racket and signed an impressive run to the quarterfinals, where he was stopped by Alexander Zverev. And after his enormous performance -which will also allow him to reach his best ranking, the 32nd position-, the Argentine celebrated all the positive things that left him the passage through Bois de Boulogne.
"These two weeks are going to change my life. And my confidence too," he said after saying goodbye to the Philippe Chatrier wrapped in applause and recognition from the public. "My first goal was to try to get to the second week and I succeeded. I leave with my head held high, I played at a very good level and if I continue like this I think I will achieve more good results. Hopefully I can have other opportunities like this."
He added: "These quarter-finals also helped me to make myself known. I think the confidence of knowing that he can have results in big tournaments is going to change the way I approach matches in the future."
The Platense also highlighted: "This is my first year on the big circuit, I recently entered. I want to keep playing at this level, get more experience and face the most important moments, which is what I have to learn the most. I leave with the feeling that I could have won and that's very important. Today everything is positive for me."
Zverev himself gave him after defeating him a nice compliment, which augurs a bright future. "He's playing amazing tennis. He reminds me a lot of (Juan Martin) Del Potro, the way he plays and the way he hits the drive, especially. He's an amazing player and very young. If he keeps playing like that he's going to be in the quarterfinals here much more often, for sure. But I also think he can be top 10 and win big tournaments," said the German.
Etcheverry reached the quarterfinals without dropping a set, beating Jack Draper, Alex De Minaur, Borna Coric and Yoshihito Nishioka. And he was able to steal a partial from Zverev, a semifinalist last year, in the first game he played on the most important stage of the Parisian complex.
"I'm leaving with my head held high. I gave my all and played the way I wanted to play. I'm proud," Etcheverry said. REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne
"Entering the Philippe Chatrier with a full stadium is not easy, you can get nervous. I tried to bring my head just to the game and that was the main thing," said the Argentine. "I think I started the match very tense, and from the second set I started playing my tennis. In the third and fourth I had my chances, but Alexander played amazing tennis."
"I erred a little bit in the tactics we had discussed with my coach. That is a bit what I reproach myself with. I missed balls for little and I lacked a little conviction there, to go looking for it more. It was tough to lose and I'm going to talk to my team about what happened in the game. But Zverev is one of the ten best in the world and was already in this stadium in the semifinals in the last two years, "analyzed the platense, who as a great competitor, made self-criticism after the defeat.
However, aware that the overall balance of his participation is very positive, he closed: "I leave with my head held high. I feel like I played at a very, very good level. I gave everything, I played the way I wanted to play and that's the important thing. I'm proud because I made a turn."
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