Diego Schwartzman upset nine-time champion Rafael Nadal 6-2 7-5 after 2 hours and 3minutes to reach the semifinal at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia at the Foro Italico in Rome. Shwartzman scored his first win over Nadal, who had won all his previous nine head-to-head matches against the Argentine player.
Schwartzman reached his second ATP Masters semifinal. The Argentine player had already got through to the last four last year in the Eternal city.
Schwartzman got five breaks and dropped his serve twice. The Argentine fended off a break point in the fourth game and won five consecutive games with two consecutive breaks in the fifth and seventh games.
Nadal held serve with a forehand down the line winner in the opening game. Schwartzman held at 15 after forcing an error from Nadal.
Nadal did not convert a break point in the fourth game after a loose forehand. Schwartzman earned three break points in the fifth game with a forehand down the line winner and broke serve with a forehand crosscourt winner to take a 3-2 lead.
Schwartzman consolidated the break with a volley winner for 4-2. He broke for the second time after a drop-shot error from Nadal in the seventh game and served out the first set in the eighth game, as Nadal made a backhand error.
Schwartzman earned two break points in the first game of the second set with a backhand crosscourt winner, but he did not convert them. Nadal won his service game, as Schwartzman hit a backhand wide.
Schwartzman fended off a break point in the second game and held serve at love with a drop shot winner to draw level to 2-2. Nadal saved a break point in the fifth game with a serve and volley.
Schwartzman held serve at 15 in the sixth game with a backhand down the line winner and broke Nadal after a drop shot error from Nadal. Nadal broke back with a smash winner to draw level to 4-4. Schwartman earned a break at love with a forehand down the line winner in the ninth game and served for the match in the next game. Nadal broke back at love to draw level to 5-5. Schwartzman earned another break at 15 with a backhand winner and served for the match for the second time.
Schwartzman earned a match point, when Nadal sent a forehand wide in the 12th game, and converted it with a volley winner to secure his spot in the semifinal, where he will face Denis Shapovalov.
“For sure it’s my best match ever. I played a few times a few times against the big champions in tennis. I never beat them until today. I am very happy. Shapovalov has been playing really well since we came back in the USA. He is a really good guy. It’s going to be really tough, but I think if I play like today I am going to have chances”, said Schwartzman.
