Terrific, Schwartzman soon to retire: "El Peque has had a giant's life"

We hardly dare believe it. At just 31 years of age, the Argentine champion has announced a terrible decision on his social networks. In February 2025, after playing his last tournament at home in Buenos Aires, Diego Schwartzman will be putting away his rackets.

Having failed to produce results for some time, the player with the atypical profile of being only 1m70 tall has finally decided to put an end to his career. This announcement probably saddened many people, as the Argentinian enjoyed a very high level of sympathy. A former world number 9, the Buenos Aires native nevertheless enjoyed several moments of glory. His triumphs in Rio (in 2018, against Verdasco in the final, 6-2, 6-3) and Buenos Aires (in 2021, against Cerundolo in the final, 6-1, 6-2) stand out. In addition to his major titles, Diego's great epics at the world's most prestigious tournaments will live long in the memory. In 2020, he reached the final in Rome, beating Rafael Nadal on the way (6-2, 7-5). He followed this up at Roland Garros by reaching the semi-finals, knocking out Thiem in the quarters after saving several match points (7-5, 5-7, 6-7, 7-6, 6-2 in 5h08).

Although many fans would have liked to see him play longer, 'El Peque' just can't manage it any more, and very humbly explained as much in a long, poignant message posted on his Instagram account. Explaining that what used to make him fully happy - the training sessions, the matches, the life of a tennis player - is becoming a little heavier to bear every day, he wishes to decide for himself on the end of his career.

Reflecting on his life's journey, Diego, who recently lost his father, had a very touching word for his loved ones: "To my brothers and my parents, from a very young age, we flew too high to realize our dreams as a family, but without you nothing would have happened." As he drew to a close, the lover of ochre was keen to salute his fans: "That's why I wanted to say it here and thank you, because 'El Peque' has had a giant's life."