By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Monday, October 9, 2023

The 2023 season has delivered a litany of loss to Diego Schwartzman.

Today, the 130th-ranked Schwartzman showed true grit snapping a Top-10 losing streak with his biggest win of the year.

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Carrying an ignominious 0-7 record vs. Top 10 opponents onto court, a stubborn Schwartzman surprised No. 8 Taylor Fritz 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(5) to reach the Rolex Shanghai Masters round of 16.

After a series of close calls against strong players, Schwartzman said it was vital to find the finish line against Fritz today.

"It's important. I did these kind of matches many, many times, in big tournaments, as well, but since last year I was not playing my best," Schwartzman told the media in Shanghai. "The last few tournaments I did great against the best guys on tour, Tommy Paul, Sinner, Zverev, you know. I was losing against these guys very close in the third set.

"So I knew that I was playing much better, but still no win. Yeah, this time tonight it was very important because it's the biggest step at the end of the year, so that's, for me, it's very important."



Even at 5-all in the decisive tiebreaker, a bold Schwartzman forehand strike down the line gave him match point. On the eighth point of the ensuing rally, Fritz netted a backhand as Schwartzman erupted in a primal scream of success closing in two hours, 44-minutes. 

It was Schwartzman's third straight three-set triumph and sends him into a round-of-16 meeting with Chilean Nicolas Jarry, a 7-6(4), 6-2 victor over Lorenzo Sonego. 

In his prior match, Schwartzman defeated No. 27 Jiri Lehecka to earn back-to-back Tour-level hard court wins for the first time since the 2022 US Open.



Now, the wild card is aiming to keep this winning roll going.

"Always tough for South American players being far from home for months and months," Schwartzman said. "It's seven months, eight months per year traveling, playing far from home, not seeing your family, friends. When you do very well, also you have the stress and everything on your mind.

"So, yeah, I'm very happy how I did, still being very happy, and I will try as many weeks and many tournaments as I can to have this level. If I have this level, even if I lose, for me it's fine."

Photo credit: European Open Facebook