PARIS – Only one hour and 44 minutes needed Novak Djokovic to become the rival of Diego Schwartzman in Roland Garros Round of 16. That was the time he needed to beat Slovenian Aljaz Bedene 6-3, 6-3, 6-2. Three wins without giving up sets, with fresh confidence following becoming champion a few days ago in Rome. The number 1 in the world seems to arrive with a brilliant engine to the challenge with the Argentine, to be played on Sunday.
Methodical, analytical, Djokovic immediately took note of what will come on Sunday. “Diego is one of the fastest players on the circuit, and his best results have been achieved on clay, so I see him as a difficult opponent, without a doubt. I know him well, we have played some really good matches on different surfaces”, evaluated the world number 1.
And in the same sense, he highlighted: “When you have to play once morest Diego, you always have to wait for him to bring you one more ball, so I’m ready for a physical battle. I haven’t spent too much time on the court, and I feel like I’m hitting the ball really well, so I’m up for that challenge.”
The best of Djokovic’s triumph
It is, for Schwartzman, a complex challenge. The Argentinian he lost all six times he faced the Serbianfrom that duel in the first round of the US Open 2014, to the closest, in the round robin of the London Masters 2020. But he was never as close to beating him as at Roland Garros, in 2017. Here, in the Parisian dust, they then crossed paths in the third round, and the Balkan won 5-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 and 6-1. They were also measured in the final of the Masters 1000 in Rome in 2020, in a great moment for Peque, who had just beaten Rafael Nadal. But Djokovic won that decisive duel 7-5, 6-3.
Schwartzman, while he arrives at this match with another air. He struggled to beat Russian Andrey Kuznetsov in the premiere. He was much more complicated than expected to beat the Spanish Jaume Munar in five sets, following being down in the first two sets. But the victory in straight sets once morest an opponent who had been making it very difficult for him, the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, fueled his confidence. Obviously, a major challenge awaits him now. But this is the time to try to make a huge impact.
“Technically, it’s regarding making some corrections, seeing where to smash, where to play. Against Djokovic I will surely have to serve stronger and also closer to the lines, because he is one of the best returners on the circuit, and on that side he can complicate the match. If he is comfortable with the return, he grows in confidence. Then you have to be ready for long rallies. We already know everything he can do from the bottom. You also have to take advantage of those moments when he makes some mistakes and not let the opportunity pass you by. Against this class of rivals, any chance must be taken; if not, everything becomes very complicated”, evaluated Peque.
Accustomed to “reading” the moments of his rivals, Schwartzman knows that his rival arrives in practically ideal conditions. “It is clear that a few weeks ago he was not the same Djokovic as he is now. He had been having a hard time getting into a rhythm, he was with few games, but in the blink of an eye he reached the final in the tournament that takes place at home [Belgrado], and then Rome won. Y with confidence, he is the clear favorite. I will have to see the games we had once morest. I remember that in the Chatrier I was able to win a couple of sets and I made it difficult, so I will have to repeat the good things I did, and not miss the opportunities that I had then and that is why I did not take advantage of it”.
The path, already in the round of 16 zone, becomes very steep. The winner of this duel between Djokovic and Schwartzman awaits the winner of the duel between Rafael Nadal and Felix Auger-Aliassime. In the semifinals, Carlos Alcaraz might be. This is a section of the table that promises sparks between now and Friday, the day of the semifinals. Djokovic, of course, is the favourite: he won here twice (2016 and 2021), and also reached four other finals, in 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2020.. As he is also the only player who defeated Nadal twice on Parisian soil. The Serbian has a very tough road looking to defend the crown. And, most likely, this duel once morest Schwartzman will be the first challenge in crucial stages.
