The former world top-10 and Roland Garros semi-finalist announced his retirement

When he wandered at the height of the ranking, in 2020 and 2021, the average of the world top-10 was 1.90 meters in height and 84 kg in weight, proof that a good chassis helps a lot in the world of tennis.

He is 1.70 m tall and weighs 64 kg, that is, 20 centimeters and 20 kg less, but his example is another one that shows that short and light tennis players can also take advantage of their conditions and shine among the elite. He reached world number 8 and the semifinals of Roland Garros 2020a kind and well-known man in the tennis world who announced his retirement from tennis.

Diego Schwartzman, 31 years old and now 142nd in the ranking, has not found the right key to regain his previous level for some time and decided to end his career. He will do so in February 2025 at the tournament in his hometown, Buenos Aireswhere he won his fourth and final ATP title in 2021.

Schwartzman, now falling in the preliminary stages, has lost all six matches this year that he has played in the big draws on the ATP circuit.

His best days were far from over, when he lost Rafael Nadal and reached the final Rome Masters 1,000 of 2020, where he lost to Novak Djokovic, or then beat the best Dominic Thiem and reach the semifinals of Roland Garros, where Nadal stopped him. In the quarterfinal match in Paris against Thiem, the Argentine won 7-6, 5-7, 6-7, 7-6 and 6-2 after 5h.08′ of battle.

“What a journey. Some moments I never imagined. Some anecdotes I never dreamed of, how many people I met who helped me grow, who taught me so much, who became a player and a person more that is better than anyone believes I will be with,” Diego wrote in his farewell letter.

“Every corner of the court, every second of practice, every point competing, every moment I was very satisfied. I lived with such intensity that now it is difficult for me to maintain. All the good moments turned into something that is now carries a weight and it’s difficult for me to continue it fully,” added the Argentine.

“On the one hand, leaving a life that has given me so much is a very difficult decision. But on the other hand, how much I enjoy playing tennis pushes me to continue wanting to keep smiling inside and off the court as I always do,” he said. Schwartzman.

“However, now it’s hard for me to find that smile sometimes. Inside me, a competitive animal prevents me from having fun, playing and traveling like I used to. I want my last tournaments to be my own decision. May 2024 I hope I will have the opportunity to compete in the tournaments that I enjoy the most and in 2025, in Argentina, to have my last moment, the best closure I can imagine,” continued the tennis player, grateful to. all.

“To my coaches, physical trainers, physio, Luchito Spena, my rivals, my teammates. To my friends that I love. My brothers and my parents who since I was young have flown very high fulfilling the dreams as a family and without you nothing would have happened,” explained Diego.

“Euge, who is the best partner I can share in life, and Pico, who has been a great Guide since I remember in my career. Thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart,” said the Argentine.

“Tennis has given me everything I have and a lot more that I will take with me forever. It’s been an amazing journey and you were an important part of it. So I want to let it be known here and thank you because El Peque is had a giant’s life,” he pointed out. the Buenos Aires native.

“Little ball. What can I say to close? You’ve made me run, laugh, cry, travel and learn so much. You’ve given me so much and it’s time to move on to another stage. See you soon, tennis. Let’s keep sweating until last fall and working like a professional until the last point I had to play on the court,” Schwartzman concluded in his letter.