Diego Schwartzman, the No. 11 seed from Argentina, captured the first set 6-4 against 10-time champion Rafael Nadal of Spain in their Roland Garros quarter-final on Wednesday.
Schwartzman, who has never beaten Nadal in five previous FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings, won 70 per cent of his first-service points in the opening set, striking 20 winners to Nadal’s four.
The winner will next play third-seeded Croatian Marin Cilic, who has reached the final of two of the past three Grand Slam championships, or fifth-seeded compatriot and 2009 semi-finalist Juan Martin del Potro.
Schwartzman did what he does best right from the start, playing close to the baseline; moving fluently, striking aggressively, particularly on return, and cutting down on Nadal’s time between strokes. The diminutive Argentine cannot match Nadal’s power, but his work rate, discipline and adherence to his game plan earned him the first service break, one of three he earned in a long opening set. Nadal, unable to rely on his first service and forehand, was soon in trouble again.
Schwartzman was fearless, quick to move up the court on short balls that Nadal uncharacteristically struck with regularity, and broke for 5-4, prior to clinching his third set point chance with a powerful forehand – his 20th winner of the 69-minute set. The final point of the last game was delayed as medical staff rushed to a spectator that was taken ill high up on Philippe-Chatrier Court.
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