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Diego Schwartzman
Schwartzman WM19 (24) (48521748281).jpg
Schwartzman at the 2019 Wimbledon Championships
Full name Diego Sebastián Schwartzman
Country (sports)  Argentina
Residence Buenos Aires, Argentina
Born (1992-08-16) 16 August 1992 (age 32)
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Turned pro 2010
Retired 13 February 2025
Plays Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Coach Bruno Tiberti
Leo Olguin
Prize money US $14,079,005
Singles
Career record 251–226 (52.62%)
Career titles 4
Highest ranking No. 8 (12 October 2020)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open 4R (2018, 2020)
French Open SF (2020)
Wimbledon 3R (2019, 2021)
US Open QF (2017, 2019)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals RR (2020)
Olympic Games 3R (2021)
Doubles
Career record 68–111 (37.99%)
Career titles 0
Highest ranking No. 39 (6 January 2020)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open 2R (2015)
French Open SF (2019)
Wimbledon 2R (2016)
US Open 2R (2015, 2016)
Team competitions
Davis Cup SF (2015)

Diego Sebastián Schwartzman (born August 16, 1992) is an Argentine former professional tennis player. He won four ATP Tour singles titles. He reached his highest singles ranking of world No. 8 in October 2020. Diego was known for his strong return game. He was especially good on clay courts.

At 170 cm (5 ft 7 in), Schwartzman was one of the shortest players to reach a major quarterfinal. He made it to the quarterfinals of the 2017 US Open. He showed that height isn't everything in tennis.

In 2020, he reached his first Masters final at the Italian Open. He beat top players like Rafael Nadal along the way. Later that year, at the French Open, he reached his first major semifinal. He was the shortest man to do so since 1980.

Early Life and Family Background

Diego Schwartzman was born and lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His family has a unique history. His great-grandfather escaped a Nazi concentration camp during the Holocaust. He traveled by boat from Germany to Argentina with his family. His father's family also came to Argentina by boat from Russia.

Growing up, Diego played tennis at Club Náutico Hacoaj. This was a Jewish-Argentine sports club. It was created for Jewish people who couldn't join other clubs in Buenos Aires. Diego sometimes faced mean comments at junior tournaments. On the professional tour, he faced less of this.

His family used to own a successful clothing and jewelry business. But they became very poor around the time Diego was born. This was due to a big economic crisis in Argentina. To help pay for his tennis expenses, Diego and his mother would sell bracelets at his junior tournaments.

Diego has two brothers and one sister. His nickname is El Peque, which means "Shorty" in Spanish.

Diego's Tennis Journey

Starting Out in Tennis

Diego didn't have a super famous junior career. He started traveling across South America for junior tournaments at age 13. He did well and began getting money to help with travel and coaching. He only played in one junior Grand Slam, the 2010 US Open.

He turned professional in 2010. He won several smaller tournaments called Futures and Challengers between 2010 and 2013.

Breaking Through: 2014–2016

In 2014, Diego played in his first major tournament, the French Open. He made it to the second round before losing to Roger Federer. He also won four ATP Challenger Tour titles that year. He finished 2014 ranked No. 61 in the world.

In 2015, Diego reached the semifinals of the Istanbul Open. He played against Roger Federer and almost won. He was also part of the Argentine Davis Cup Team that reached the semifinals.

Schwartzman WM16 (13) (27801639234)
Diego Schwartzman, 2016

Diego won his first ATP singles title in 2016 at the Istanbul Open. He beat Grigor Dimitrov in the final. Dimitrov had some trouble during the match, which helped Diego win. Later in 2016, Diego was the best ATP player at converting break points.

Rising Star: 2017–2019

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Diego Schwartzman, 2017

At the French Open, Diego had a tough five-set match against Novak Djokovic. In the Canadian Open, he beat Dominic Thiem, which was his first win against a top-10 player.

His biggest achievement in 2017 was reaching his first major quarterfinal at the US Open. He beat world No. 7 Marin Čilić and world No. 20 Lucas Pouille. He ended 2017 ranked world No. 25. He was excellent at returning serves.

In 2018, Diego reached the fourth round of the Australian Open. He played against world No. 1 Rafael Nadal. He also won his biggest title yet at the Rio Open. He became the first Jewish male player in the top 20 since 2004. At the French Open, he reached his second Grand Slam quarterfinal. He famously said, "Did you read David and Goliath?" after beating a much taller opponent.

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Schwartzman playing in the French Open, 2019

In 2019, Diego reached the finals of the Argentina Open. He also reached his first Masters 1000 final in doubles with Dominic Thiem. He won his third ATP title at the Los Cabos Open, his first on a hard court. At the US Open, he beat world No. 6 Alexander Zverev to reach the quarterfinals again. He was still one of the best at returning serves.

Top 10 and Major Semifinal: 2020

In 2020, Diego reached the fourth round of the Australian Open. At the Italian Open, he had a huge win against Rafael Nadal, calling it his "best match ever." He reached his first ATP Masters 1000 final there.

Schwartzman RG21 (7) (51376067521)
Schwartzman, 2021

At the French Open, he beat world No. 3 Dominic Thiem in a five-hour match. This led him to his first major semifinal. The next week, he reached world No. 8, making him the shortest player in the top 10 since 1981. He also played in the 2020 ATP Finals for the first time. For his great season, he received the Olimpia Award as Argentina's top sportsperson.

Continued Success: 2021–2022

In 2021, Diego won his fourth ATP title at the Argentina Open in his hometown. He reached the quarterfinals of the French Open again. He also made it to the fourth round of the US Open.

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Schwartzman, 2022

In 2022, Diego had a strong start to the season. He reached three finals during the "Golden Swing" in South America. He also made it to the quarterfinals of the Monte-Carlo Masters. At the French Open, he reached the fourth round before losing to Novak Djokovic.

Later Career and Retirement: 2023–2025

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Schwartzman at the Boodles Exhibition Challenge, 2023

Diego faced some challenges in 2023, including a leg injury. He dropped out of the top 100 rankings for the first time in years. However, he still achieved his 250th career win, becoming the tenth Argentinian man to do so in the Open Era.

Retiro de Diego Schwartzman (cropped 2)
Schwartzman playing in his last career match, 2025

In May 2024, Diego announced he would retire from professional tennis after the Argentina Open in 2025. He played his last match at the Argentina Open in February 2025. He made his 11th appearance at the US Open in 2024, showing his dedication to the sport until the end.

How Diego Played Tennis

Diego Schwartzman was known for his strong baseline game. This means he played mostly from the back of the court. He hit powerful shots with both his forehand and backhand. He was very fast and could hit amazing shots even when he was far from the court. His speed also helped him get to short shots and hit passing shots.

While his serve was consistent, his return game was outstanding. He was often ranked among the best players for winning points on his opponent's second serve.

Because of his speed and powerful shots, he had the most success on clay courts. But as his career went on, he improved his game on other surfaces like grass.

Career Statistics Highlights

Diego's career included many matches at the biggest tournaments.

Grand Slam Performance

Tournament 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 SR W–L Win%
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open Q3 Q1 1R 1R 2R 4R 3R 4R 3R 2R 2R Q1 0 / 9 13–9 59%
French Open Q2 2R 2R 1R 3R QF 2R SF QF 4R 3R Q2 0 / 10 23–10 70%
Wimbledon A A 1R 1R 1R 2R 3R NH 3R 2R 2R Q1 0 / 8 7–8 47%
US Open Q3 1R 2R 1R QF 3R QF 1R 4R 3R 1R 1R 0 / 11 16–11 59%
Win–loss 0–0 1–2 2–4 0–4 7–4 10–4 9–4 8–3 11–4 7–4 4–4 0–1 0 / 38 59–38 61%
Year End Championship
ATP Finals Did not qualify RR Did not qualify 0 / 1 0–3 0%

Personal Life

Diego Schwartzman's grandparents moved from Europe to escape the Holocaust. As of June 2024, Diego is engaged to Eugenia De Martino, who is a fashion model from Argentina.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Diego Schwartzman para niños

  • List of notable Jewish tennis players
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