Full name – Diego Sebastián Schwartzman
Date of Birth – 16 August 1992
Nationality – Argentinian
Role – Right-Handed, Two-Handed Backhand (Baseline player)
Coach – Juan Ignacio Chela
Current Ranking – 10
Highest Ranking – 8 (12 October 2020)
Career Earnings – US$9,673,777
Win/Loss – 180-153
ATP Titles – 4
Grand Slams – 0
About
Considered one of the shortest men on the men’s circuit, Diego Schwartzman is an Argentine tennis player who has put together a fine career for himself despite his diminutive and weak physique. His exquisite racquet control and timing enables him to go toe-to-toe with taller and more powerful opponents. Schwartzman’s ability to pull above his weight has won him many admirers all over the world.
Best Finishes at each Grand Slam
- Australian Open: 4R (2018,2020)
- Roland Garros: SF (2020)
- Wimbledon: 3R (2019)
- US Open: QF (2017,2019)
Style of Play
Schwartzman is a baseline player with solid groundstrokes off both wings, enabling him to counterpunch and go on the offensive. One of his key strengths is his timing of the ball. The Argentine is known for his ability to hit winners from defensive situations due to his short stature and blistering pace. Due to his baseline game and quick movement, Schwartzman is a better player on clay than on the hard or grass courts. However, in the last few seasons, the Argentine has tried to add more variety to his game, resulting in better performances all around.
Sponsors & Endorsements
FILA – Italian sports goods and sportswear manufacturer FILA roped in Diego Schwartzman in an apparel and shoe deal in 2016. He wears the FILA Axilus Energized shoe on the court. In 2018, FILA started sponsoring the Argentine Tennis Association (ATA). The finer details and length of these deals are not available in the public domain.
Head – Head Sport is an Austrian sports equipment manufacturing company. Over the years, Head has sponsored many players, from future stars to the big boys to champions of the past. Diego Schwartzman is among those athletes who has been backed and is a brand ambassador of the Austrian manufacturer. The Argentine currently uses the Head Graphene Touch Radical MP.
Peugeot – French automobile manufacturer Peugeot got involved in the tennis industry over 30 years ago. In addition to sponsoring some of the major tennis organisations, Peugeot has also partnered with a number of top players, with most ambassadors being men, active on the ATP Tour like Diego Schwartzman, Matteo Berrettini, Lucas Pouille. Kiki Bertens is the only female ambassador of the car manufacturer.
Voltaren – Voltaren gel (commonly known as Diclofenac) is a pain reliever in the drug class NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug). Schwartzman is a brand ambassador for Voltaren. A tennis player deals with aches and pain all the time, making Voltaren a natural fit for the 28-year-old.
Disney+ – Disney+ is a video-on-subscription service, and as a major part of its promotional campaign for its arrival in Latin America and the Caribbean, the company decided to rope in the Argentine tennis star. Schwartzman wears the Disney+ logo on the left side of his shirt (FILA on the right).
Notable Charity Work
- In 2020, Diego Schwartzman organised two FIFA 20 online tournaments with other celebrities, such as footballer and compatriot Paulo Dybala. All proceeds were donated for the benefit of Red Cross Argentina.
- During the COVID lockdown, Schwartzman got together with former NBA star Manu Ginobili and helped Seamos Uno, a charity that raised funds and donated food boxes to those in need in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Rivalries
“Diego Schwartzman and Dominic Thiem” is a rivalry that dates back to 2015, when these two squared off against each other for the first time at the Miami 1000 event. Since then, they have crossed path nine times in their career, with Dominic Thiem leading their head-to-head battle 6-3, although Schwartzman had the last laugh when the two met in the quarter-final stage of last year’s rearranged Roland Garros, with the Argentine sealing the titanic tussle in five sets – a true battle of attrition.
Significant Records
- In 2017, Schwartzman became the shortest Grand Slam quarter-finalist since Jaime Yzaga. (170 cm at the 1994 US Open)
- In the 2020 French Open, he became the shortest man to reach a Grand Slam semi-final since the 5’6” (168 m) Harold Solomon at the 1980 French Open.
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