Schwartzman stuns Cilic at US Open
Argentine beats World number five seed to reach fourth round at Flushing Meadows.
Andrew Sherwood is the Jewish News Sport and Community Editor
Diego Schwartzman claimed one of the most impressive wins of his career as he stunned Marin Cilic to continue his superb run at the US Open.
Showing his famed batting qualities, he lost the first set to the Croat 6-4, before turning the match round, taking the next two sets 7-5, before completing the win by taking the fourth set 6-4.
Into the fourth round round of the US open for the first time – which also represents his best ever performance at a Grand Slam, he said afterwards: “There were a lot of ups and downs in the match. Every time in the third set, as well. I was a break up two times, I think, and then I can close the third set 7-5.
“Then in the fourth I started to be a little bit nervous. When I served 5-2, I think he played much better than me. I didn’t do many mistakes. But then in the 5-4, it was just one break, and there it start the nerves in my body and was really tough the last game, but I can win and I am really happy.”
Standing at only 5ft 7in does mean he’s perceived to be at a disadvantage, though he says: “Sometimes it’s helping a lot if you are big, because you can serve fast, you can do everything fast on the baseline because you have more, the arms are bigger than me. But I hope maybe people can understand tennis is for everyone, it’s not just for the tall guys.”
Also believing more ‘newer’ faces are coming through, and opportunities opening up for them to reach the latter stages of major tournaments, he says: “I think it’s a little bit of a new era with many players, new players. Many young players are playing amazing tennis. Shapovalov, Zverev, Thiem, Coric are playing really, really well. I am a little bit old than those guys, but I try to improve every year.
“Sometimes you can play better than two years before when you are 25, 26, and I think the years, for me, are really good. I am improving year by year.”
Asked if he was surprised with how well he’s done in New York – he was though knocked out of the first round of the men’s doubles competition – he said: “Yeah, I am a little bit surprised, but the last weeks I was playing really well. I reached the third round in Paris and quarters in Montreal.
“I think my confidence, it’s going up. I think in every match I can win. I am playing well and try to be like this every match.”
The 25-year-old was born in the Buenos Aires, and in an interview earlier this year, revealed that while he didn’t attend a Hebrew school in the Argentine capital, he does observe Jewish holidays and receives great support from the Jewish population in his hometown, “I am Jewish and in Argentina, we have many Jewish [people] there, and all the people there know me,” he said.
With no other players in the top 10 left in the bottom half of the draw, his next opponent, 16th seeded Frenchman Lucas Pouille, is the highest ranking player left he would have to face on his route to the final. He’ll be bidding for a place in the quarter-finals later on Sunday, with the match scheduled to be second on the Grandstand Court.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
