"Threats and insults received": Diego Schwartzman talks about Davis Cup loss to junior players
Diego Schwartzman's defeat in the Davis Cup to a junior player made big headlines - and some hostility.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Sep 20, 2021, 10:09 pm
There are days when nothing comes together - and everyone who plays tennis has probably experienced one before. Diego Schwartzman felt like this in the Davis Cup duel against Belarus: He lost 4-6, 3-6 against the completely unknown Daniil Ostapenkov last weekend. The 18-year-old is only ranked 63rd in the junior world rankings, he does not even appear in the ATP ranking.
While Schwartzman's defeat caused a sensation in tennis, the good Diego himself was not doing well afterwards. "It was one of the worst days of my career," Schwartzman told the Argentine newspaper La Nacion about the events on Saturday. "I lost to a player of no rank and no experience. All of this affects a lot. Although 80 or 90 percent of people are always encouraging, there was a minority who criticized me with bad intentions. not to return to Argentina. That affects me, more or less. "
Schwartzman gets decisive point for victory
After the defeat, Schwartzman said he had a difficult day anyway. But instead of locking himself in his room, he tried to get himself mentally fit, went to the lobby, drank mate and asked the team's masseur to cut his hair. "I couldn't stay in the room complaining."
Apparently with success: Schwartzman scored the decisive third point for the Argentine team on Sunday with a 6: 1 and 6: 2 against Alexander Zgirovsky, Federico Coria won 4: 1 with a 6: 3, 6: 1 against Ostapenkov. Argentina is thus qualified for the qualifying duel at the beginning of 2022, when it comes to the starting places for the final tournament in autumn.