Diego Schwartzman was number 8 in the world in 2020,
the year in which he reached the final of the Rome Masters 1000 and the semi-finals of
Roland Garros,
he remained in the Top 30 for more than five consecutive years and had the luxury of beating
Rafael Nadal,
the best in clay history, at the Foro Italico.
That is why
his bad present generates a great impact.
After falling in straight sets in the first round of the Indian Wells
qualifier
against the Japanese Shintaro Mochizuki, 149th in the world ranking, Peque (117th)
lost his seventh consecutive match
and has not won a main draw match since the 17th. October, when he defeated Francisco Cerúndolo in Tokyo.
In addition, this season he has only one victory and it was on December 30 in the qualification for the ATP 250 in Brisbane against the 21-year-old Australian Jacob Bradshaw, who was then ranked 658th in the ranking.
Since then he fell in his debut at the Australian Open, Córdoba, Buenos Aires, Los Cabos, Acapulco and Indian Wells.
At times you can see glimpses of his best version.
In Acapulco, for example, against the Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic, recovery appeared.
"It was my best match of the year, especially in the first two sets. I lacked details to win against an opponent who has been playing very well for a long time and when the score began to slip away,
all
the wear and tear of everyday life played against me. the other side. I lost all the energy and the game was gone, not to use the word 'throw it'. I let it go and that hurts much more," he commented in dialogue with Diego Amuy for BATennis.
Schwartzman had a 13-25 record in 2023, his first season with a negative balance since 2015. Photo: Alfredo Estrella/AFP
At the end of last season he had an even better moment.
He reached the round of 16 of the M1000 in Shanghai, after beating Jiri Lehecka (30th) and world number 8 Taylor Fritz before falling in the third set
tiebreak
with the Chilean Nicolás Jarry.
But that good week in China ended up being nothing more than an isolated event.
From there a new negative streak began and at the Argentina Open, after losing in the first round to the Colombian Daniel Galán, he surprised by opening the door to retirement.
"It's hard for me when things go wrong in the competition. Mentally sustaining myself on a day-to-day basis with these results is difficult.
If things continue not to happen, we'll see how long I can stretch it
," he said at a press conference.
And his most recent statements are along the same lines.
"There are days when I don't feel like doing anything and others when I tell myself: 'it's time to work my ass off from today'. It's different. Anyway,
beyond this, I know that there's a lot in the tank. "It doesn't fit me. With victories I know I can stretch it, but if I keep losing it's difficult. It's painful,"
said the winner of four ATP titles.
He never had a great serve or a shot that made the difference, but his good mobility, intensity and consistency from the baseline took him high.
"I can fight every game, but it's not enough, no one is better just for laying eggs.
I don't have many tools to get out of the non-competitiveness on the court. I need good tennis to win,"
he analyzed.
Schwartzman had to retire due to discomfort in his left shoulder against Sinner in Monte Carlo.
Photo: Reuters/Eric Gaillard
He will continue trying, but his energy is waning, especially seeing that the evolution of tennis is working against him.
"There was a very big renewal of names and in the way of playing. Today you see players up there who are 1.95, two meters tall and before it was a pleasure to have them touch you on clay because you knew they were not going to be able to make a
drop
or run to the sides and today they run better than me," he commented, resigned.
"Sport in general, not just tennis, modernized a lot physically and in terms of power. My impacts were more powerful, I was faster," he added in this regard.
Schwartzman, 31, is also not crazy: "I am incredibly happy for everything that tennis has given me and for what I have been able to generate in these years. I don't need absolutely anything. I have much more than what I need. If I win matches, the better, so that what is missing is nice, but if I lose it is not a catastrophe.
The next results will be key for its future.