Inspired by idol Gabriela Sabatini, Diego Schwartzman solves Wimbledon grass with Olympic debut on horizon

If maintaining a low stance is the most important aspect of playing tennis on grass courts, then Diego Schwartzman, who stands 5 feet 7 inches tall, is already halfway there. However, during his first few years as a top-tier tennis player, the grass swing was less of a symphony and more of an extravaganza. After a clay-court campaign that was typically satisfying and a triumphant return home to his beloved Argentina, it was something that he had to suffer through.

Perhaps the word “suffer” is an understatement in this case. For the first seven matches he played on the surface, he was unsuccessful because he lacked any junior experience to help him adjust. The Argentine has won seven of his last ten matches on grass courts, and he is now in the third round of Wimbledon for the second installment in a row after defeating the hometown favorite Liam Broady in four sets. This victory comes three years after the Argentine gained his first victory on grass courts.

On Tuesday, he shared with me that he had developed a strong liking for playing on grass after he had won his first match there. Being able to compete in a few tournaments on the surface each year, in addition to the preparation and everything else, is something that I consider to be a challenge. Our preparation for Wimbledon isn’t always the best because, after spending two months in Europe for the clay season, we typically return to Argentina. This makes it difficult for us to get ready for the tournament.

During this year, Schwartzman was looking forward to his long-awaited trip back home. Schwartzman overcame a set deficit to win the match against Liam Broady of the United Kingdom in four sets on Wednesday. (Images from Getty)

Source: AFP, via Getty Images

As a result of the unfortunate intervention of the global pandemic, he was compelled to postpone his vacation plans for yet another time.

As a result of the current state of affairs in Argentina, which is not favorable due to COVID-19, it is not simple to travel back to Europe from there. As an alternative, I made the decision to train in Mallorca, which was the location of the tournament, for a few days.

I’ll be heading back to my house after Wimbledon. Already, it has been four months since we arrived here, traveling. Last year, I did the same thing: I went on a trip through Europe for a total of four months, and then I returned home after completing my master’s degree in London. Okay, I’ll try it once more. It is absolutely necessary for the sake of my mental health and my mind! In the meantime, I am hoping to stick around for a good number of days.

It would appear that Schwartzman is well positioned to remain at the All England Club for an extended period of time, beginning with a decisive defeat of the mercurial Benoit Paire. After falling behind Broady by one set on Wednesday, the 28-year-old managed to pull off a fightback in the fourth set to secure a third-round matchup with Marton Fucsovics. Marton Fucsovics successfully defeated the 19th seed Jannik Sinner to kick off the fortnight. Their only previous meeting was in Paris two years ago, and Schwartzman prevailed in five sets to take the victory.

However, the Olympics are the most important competition for Argentina, despite the fact that every competition we play for Argentina is very important. There is a very strong Olympic tradition in our country, and I would like to be there to take part in it and play under my flag.following a string of terrible results on clay courts, the anticipation alone appears to have been the driving force behind his ability to break a losing streak of four matches and advance to the quarterfinals of Roland Garros.