ROLAND GARROS

June 9, 2021

Diego Schwartzman

Press Conference

R. NADAL/D. Schwartzman

6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You won one set off Rafa and played two other ones that was really tough. How hard is it to imagine winning three sets against him in this arena on this kind of court? Obviously you have beat him in Italy last year, but Grand Slams are a different thing with the three sets. What is that task like for you, or for anybody, really?

DIEGO SCHWARTZMAN: Well, for anybody it's very difficult to play against him. He's feeling very comfortable on court. Everything is so nice for him on court. It's very difficult to be close to the baseline, you know, sometimes, and he likes that.

He feel like he's doing everything to put you two, three meters behind the line. The court is really big and you start to play difficult games and difficult matches against him.

The last three times we played here in Chatrier, two times we went to the fourth, and last year I was very close to go to the fourth, as well.

You know, at the end is very difficult. I had the chances today maybe in the third. I was close. I was playing a little bit better than him. At the end he's Rafa and he's always finding the way.

Q. When Rafa retires, how sad will that be for tennis? Will that make you slightly happier?

DIEGO SCHWARTZMAN: No, no, is going to be sad for everyone. But obviously I don't want to be in the same side of the draw next time. I think I'm a very good player on clay. I did great tournaments here in Paris, but always losing against Rafa the last few years. In semifinal, two times quarters. I want to play maybe Nole next time, but no Rafa (smiling).

Is difficult. I did great matches. Always close the last few matches. But at the end he's winning, so nothing. Next time we'll see.

Q. At a certain moment the public was cheering your name. Is nice emotion, good satisfaction.

DIEGO SCHWARTZMAN: Yeah, the crowd was unreal today, amazing. Playing again almost full stadium, a lot of people here in Paris, first time since two years ago, playing with the public and crowd say my name, everything was so nice. I think it was helping because I was feeling great on court.

But at the end, I think at the end of the third set, they started to realize Rafa is maybe in problems, so they start to say his name, not any more my name (smiling).

I think he deserve that, obviously. I think both today enjoyed a lot the match with a lot of crowd.

Q. At 4-3 in the third set to you, it seemed like you were maybe on top, then he just seemed to come out after that change of ends like a different player. Did it feel like that to you, that he went up a level?

DIEGO SCHWARTZMAN: I think in the third set I was playing a little bit better than him in the baseline. I was serving good, winning a lot of points in the baseline. I was, like, doing many good shots in the third.

But he was serving very, very good. He start to serve very good. He start to make many good first serves, winning a lot of points with the first serve. I think in the fourth he did again. I think it was the key because I was fighting, I was playing very good tennis, and I had many chances like 15-30, Love-15, deuce. But he was serving very good, and I didn't have the chance to, you know, make good shots after he serve.

At the end of the third, he deserve to win because he did many winners, he start to play amazing. In the fourth, I didn't have the chance to play any point.

Q. We don't know who Rafa is going to play next. Could be another match against Novak. Berrettini is dangerous. What would it take for one of them to beat Rafa here in Paris?

DIEGO SCHWARTZMAN: For them? I don't know. Maybe you have to ask them, not me (smiling).

But I don't know. If Nole wins, it's going to be a special match with a lot of crowd like today. Everyone wants to see that. But I think Matteo is playing his best tennis in all his career. He's a very good guy who is playing amazing tennis the last year, the last two years. Let's see what happen today with Nole. I think it's going to be a great match.