The esteemed tennis player, Diego Schwartzman, recently elevated Rafael Nadal above his ‘Big Three’ counterparts, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, in terms of the level of respect he commands when stepping onto the court. Schwartzman, who once ranked 9th globally, confessed to feeling somewhat ‘defeated’ even before the commencement of his matches against Nadal.
Schwartzman’s tennis journey has seen him pitted against the ‘Big Three’ many times, but victory was a rare occurrence. The Argentine player, who recently hung up his racket, managed to secure only a single win in his twelve encounters with Nadal. This memorable triumph occurred during the 2020 Rome Masters quarterfinals, where Schwartzman emerged victorious with a score of 6-2 7-5.
Prior to this single triumph, Schwartzman had been consistently overpowered by Nadal in their first eight confrontations. When it came to his meetings with Djokovic and Federer, his record remained unblemished by victory. He faced the Serb seven times and the Swiss maestro four times, both without success.
Schwartzman articulated his feelings about Nadal’s commanding presence in an interview with ESPN. He stated, “I think Rafa, of the three, is the one who commands the most respect when you enter the court. It’s like you enter the court a little more defeated.” This sentiment from the 2020 French Open semifinalist underscores Nadal’s overwhelming influence in the world of tennis.
The Argentine’s professional tennis journey concluded two weeks ago, with his final match played in front of passionate home fans in Buenos Aires at the Argentina Open. He demonstrated a final flash of his skill by defeating Nicolas Jarry in the first round before succumbing to Pedro Martinez in the round-of-16.
Upon Schwartzman’s retirement, Nadal took to social media to pay tribute to his former adversary. He commended Schwartzman’s impressive career, praising his fighting spirit and resilience. Nadal expressed his pleasure at having shared numerous moments with Schwartzman on the tour and wished him well for his future endeavors.
This heartfelt tribute from one of tennis’s greatest players is a fitting end to Schwartzman’s remarkable career. It also further emphasizes the respect commanded by Nadal both on and off the court, a respect that even top-level players like Schwartzman readily admit.
