“Everything Is Difficult Against Him”: Diego Schwartzman Reacts to Losing Against Novak Djokovic at ATP Finals 2020

Diego Schwartzman did not enjoy the best of debuts at ATP Finals 2020. It is his maiden entry to the tournament and he found himself defeated by Novak Djokovic in straight sets. The Serbian seemed to be in red-hot form and Schwartzman just confirmed it after the match. 

“Well, everything is difficult against him,” Schwartzman said after the loss. “I think what he’s doing when he’s playing at his best, he’s moving the ball from everywhere to everywhere, you know, to every single point on the court,” he added. 

Schwartzman broke Djokovic early in the match to gain a bit of momentum. However, it was short-lived as the 33-year-old regained lost ground and dominated the rest of the proceedings. Schwartzman had no answers to his returns and the Djoker eased to victory by serving seven aces. 

“So it’s very difficult to know what he’s going to do and trying to make good points, because he’s moving the ball, he’s doing defenses, he’s doing winners. He has a lot of talent when he have the chance to move the ball,” mentioned Schwartzman. 

Also Read: “Wasn’t Playing His Best”: Novak Djokovic Breezes Past Diego Schwartzman at ATP Finals 2020

Diego Schwartzman is not entirely put down by losing against Novak Djokovic 

As mentioned, Schwartzman started off brilliant but failed to deliver consistently. That is where Djokovic gained a strong footing and raced ahead with the lead. He used his opportunity and his Argentine opponent acknowledged it. 

“After the break I got he [Djokovic] recovered quickly. I felt that the first set was close all the time. I made a lot of mistakes, I tried a lot but it was a tough match, ahead is the No. 1 in the world,” Schwartzman mentioned (Quotes translated from Spanish via Google).  

Though the loss is tough to take, Schwartzman is not breaking his head over it. He knew where he lost it and before that moment, it was anyone’s match indeed.

“I feel like the score is a bit of a liar. Like I said, in the 1st set I felt much closer than in the 2nd. I was beaten, yes. The feeling is weird because I had my chances,” he said. 

This is Schwartzman’s first-ever appearance at the ATP Finals and there were concerns if he was nervy about his debut. However, the 28-year-old dismissed rumors about the issue.

“I didn’t feel that the emotional thing affected me at all. It’s not because of the stage or the nerves. I think I have margin in my game and improving that helps me to be competitive in the next game and with the best eight players in the world who are here,” Schwartzman mentioned. 

After a tough opening loss, Diego Schwartzman must post wins in the remaining matches in order to qualify for the semi-finals. He’s placed in a tough group and it would be a challenge to get past his talented opponents and into the last four.