Lion-Hearted Schwartzman Lives Another Day!

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday February 12, 2025

Diego Schwartzman didn’t expect to come through today’s clash with seventh-seeded Nicolas Jarry at the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires. Playing in his last professional event, the former World No.8 is ready for the next phase of his life to start.

But when he’s on the red clay in his home country, you can never count him out.

He just can’t help playing lion-hearted tennis, and the 32-year-old did that again on Wednesday as he edged Jarry 7-6(10), 4-6, 6-3, to prolong his career and set a second-round clash with Spain’s Pedro Martinez.

“I expected to lose, if I’m honest,” said an elated Schwartzman after the match.. “I was expecting to cry a little after the match and be ready for emotion, but not for the win.”

It was a rough day at the office for Jarry, who committed 79 unforced errors, but credit Schwartzman for keeping him on the run and making him work for everything he got in the two hour and 54-minute battle.

Backed by a passionate Argentinian fan base, Schwartzman saved three set points in the opening-set tiebreak to come through. He then responded when Jarry took the middle set, converting the only break of the final set for 4-2 and serving out the match the rest of the way to earn his 18th career win at Buenos Aires, and his 251st win of his ATP career.

Schwartzman, who announce his retirement early last year, has already said his farewell at the Grand Slams. He has not played since the US Open, but accepted a wild card long ago to play in Buenos Aires to finish his career at the sight of one of his emotional moments as a player.

He won the title in Buenos Aires in 2021, then reached the final in 2022. The four-time ATP titlist made his main draw debut in Buenos Aires in 2013.

Fonseca Wins on His Debut

Much heralded 18-year-old Joao Fonseca also received a lot of support on Wednesday, as the World No.99 earned a 6-3, 6-3 win over Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry, setting up a second-round match with Federico Coria of Argentina.

With the victory Fonseca became the youngest player to win a match in Buenos Aires since 2004, and the third-youngest in history. It was yet another blistering performance for Fonseca, who rained down winners with regularity against the World No.44.