Schwartzman Says Goodbye to Paris in Tears

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday May 22, 2024

It was a particularly emotional day of qualifying at Roland-Garros. Hours after Dominic Thiem bid farewell to the Parisian trustworthy, his good pal Diego Schwartzman additionally performed his ultimate match on Court Suzanne-Lenglen.

Schwartzman fell to Frenchman Quentin Halys 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(7) in a second-round qualifying match, ending a superb French Open profession that featured a pair of quarterfinals and a career-best semifinal by the diminutive but dynamic Argentinian.

After the match Schwartzman broke down in tears as he addressed the group in a post-match ceremony. He thanked the followers, saying: “The last match here shows how I’ve played my whole career here. Roland-Garros for me it’s very special. I did what I know to do – I fight to win the match [but] he played an amazing match and he deserved to win.”

Schwartzman went 16-5 between 2016 and 2021 in Paris, defeating two-time finalist and good pal Dominic Thiem to achieve a career-best semifinal in 2020, and enjoying two different quarterfinals.

He took his pictures on the large stars of the game as properly, going forward by a set and a break in opposition to 14-time champion Rafael Nadal within the quarterfinals in 2021, earlier than rain stopped play for the night time —  he misplaced in 4 units when play resumed on the following day. He additionally took Novak Djokovic to 5 units within the third spherical in 2017, main two units to at least one earlier than falling to the 24-time main champion.

“Every situation was a little bit different, but at the same time I really enjoyed every moment,” he mentioned. “There were very special moments here in Paris for me. I didn’t have luck on my side in the second weeks here, playing against Novak and Rafa, but at the same time I can say in a few years that I played against them many times in the second week of a Grand Slam.”

Love u guys !!! Thanks all of the French folks 🇫🇷🇫🇷❤️❤️ https://t.co/HqHocp2cso

— diego schwartzman (@dieschwartzman) May 22, 2024

Schwartzman plans to retire from the game subsequent February in Buenos Aires.

The former World No.8 says he desires to be remembered as a “a good fighter who was ready to play the best tennis in the world.”

He will likely be remembered for greater than that. He wore his coronary heart on his sleeve and was pound for pound one of many strongest gamers on the tour. The 5’7” Argentine had an enormous will to win and went toe-to-toe with gamers who had been greater and stronger than him.

He made up for it with quickness, depth and really feel.

He obtained loads of love from the followers in Paris, and can certainly get extra as he performs out his previous few months on the tour.

“I’m enjoying every moment and every tear is going to come, it’s for happiness and nothing else.”