ROLEX PARIS MASTERS

November 4, 2020

Diego Schwartzman

Press Conference

D. SCHWARTZMAN/R. Gasquet

7-5, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Before you played Richard this afternoon, you had never beaten him in three times, and I don't think you even had won a set. Do you feel a sense of relief now that you have finally beaten Gasquet? Do you feel you're a better player now than when you played him before?

DIEGO SCHWARTZMAN: Well, yeah, I think I'm, yeah, a better player right now. Not than him. Better player, you know, than before. I improve.

I'm doing different things on court, and I have the confidence and I was playing really, really well the last few weeks.

So all the mix was helping me to win today. I think that's why I beat him for the first time today.

And also maybe he was not playing his best because after U.S. he was not playing a lot of matches. So everything that happened the weeks before helping me to won today.

Q. With your win today plus with Berrettini losing last night, it seems you control your destiny for that final position in the ATP Finals. How do you feel about your chances with qualifying for that? What does it mean to you to be able to achieve a goal like that?

DIEGO SCHWARTZMAN: I'm feeling great because of my chances, because I have the chances in my hand, and, yes, obviously I'm expecting a few matches from opponents to qualify to London, but I have in my hand the opportunity to qualify.

So I'm trying to do my best, and I'm feeling really, really well this week and the weeks before. After Rome I get a lot of confidence and playing very good tennis, so I want to be in London, and I hope to be there.

Q. I'm wondering, what do you think you're doing very well at the moment to sustain the high level week in, week out, even though conditions are difficult and the tour is not the same? But you're able to tap into your best. Why do you think you're able to do that?

DIEGO SCHWARTZMAN: I'm able because I'm working really hard when the people is not seeing us, you know, outside the court, I'm keeping doing the same things, really focused.

I have a great team, and we are trying to enjoy every moment. You know, the confidence always in the individual sports is really important. After Rome, like I said, everything, it's really good, you know, on court and outside the court.

Indoors, it's a surface that I like. I always play good tennis the years before. On clay, when I'm good, I have chances to do well.

So maybe U.S. was not the best, but after that I'm feeling great, and I'm playing very good tennis. That's why I'm able to do this.

Q. I saw you signed the camera lens "Fuerza Diego." What does Diego Maradona personally mean to you?

DIEGO SCHWARTZMAN: Well, he's a sports idol since I'm a child. I didn't see him play, just on YouTube or videos that I can see on TV and everything, not live, but he's one of my idols, for sure, in football. I love football, and he's Argentinian, so every place you go, everyone knows Argentina because of Maradona, and that's why I put "Fuerza Diego," because he's struggling, he's not healthy right now, and he has surgery last night.

Was good. So everyone is trying to get him, you know, a good recovery.