Schwartzman On Comeback Win: ‘Tennis Is Crazy’

Diego Schwartzman recorded a memorable comeback victory to earn his spot in the bett1HULKS Championship semi-finals in Cologne on Friday.

The World No. 9 trailed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 2-6, 2-5, but battled back to claim a 2-6, 7-6(3), 6-1 victory in two hours and nine minutes. Davidovich Fokina served for the match on three occasions and held match point at 5-2, but was unable to convert his opportunity as he fired wide with a crosscourt backhand.

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“Tennis sometimes is crazy,” said Schwartzman in an on-court interview. “Maybe today I got lucky to be here answering questions. But that is why I am here as well with this ranking, because I am always trying to find a way to win the matches. Today was not the exception to the rule.

“I was trying really hard, but obviously he is a great player and the first two sets I was just on court trying to do something but there was no chance. He was playing perfect and the first two sets he deserved to win, for sure.”

The win could prove crucial in Schwartzman’s bid to clinch one of the two remaining Nitto ATP Finals qualification spots. The second seed began the week in the ninth and final qualification position in the FedEx ATP Battle For London, 105 points ahead of 10th-placed Matteo Berrettini. The Italian will drop 200 points from his total on 9 November due to his round robin win at the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals.

Schwartzman will attempt to reach his third ATP Tour championship match of the year when he faces Felix Auger-Aliassime or Yoshihito Nishioka in the semi-finals. Auger-Aliassime is bidding to reach back-to-back finals in Cologne after a runner-up finish at the bett1HULKS Indoors last week.