Diego Schwartzman Opens Up About Retirement, Anxiety & The Big 3
5/4/202655 min
Diego Schwartzman joins Caroline Garcia and Borja Durán for a deeply honest conversation about the real cost of a life in professional tennis.
From growing up in Argentina with limited resources, to fighting his way through Futures and Challengers, to facing Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer on the biggest stages, Diego built one of the most respected careers in tennis through discipline, intelligence, resilience and heart.
But in this episode, Diego opens up about the side of tennis fans rarely see: the anxiety, the exhaustion, the constant travel, the pressure to keep going, and the moment he realized that even winning matches no longer felt good.
He shares why he decided to retire, what it felt like to write his retirement letter, why Djokovic was the hardest player he faced, what young players misunderstand about building a team, and why sometimes the bravest decision is knowing when to stop.
A raw, funny and emotional conversation with one of tennis’ most loved competitors.
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Chapters / Timestamps
00:00 Intro
00:45 How Diego started playing tennis
02:10 The financial reality of becoming a pro
04:20 Managing outside support and pressure
05:10 Moving from Argentina to Europe
06:30 Why Diego didn’t play the traditional junior route
07:30 Breaking through Futures and Challengers
09:10 Building belief as a smaller player
10:50 Did his height ever make him doubt himself?
12:05 The tactics that shaped Diego’s game
14:20 Winning without playing your best
16:30 The team that pushed Diego to the limit
17:10 Why Diego retired at 32
18:00 Caroline and Diego on losing the fire
19:45 Why athletes don’t have to play until 35
21:15 The first signs something was wrong
22:10 When winning no longer felt good
23:20 Anxiety, burnout and listening to his body
24:30 The psychologist who told Diego the truth
26:45 Sponsors, money and the pressure to continue
27:45 Announcing his retirement
30:00 Crying after writing his retirement letter
31:20 Did Diego have balance during his career?
32:15 How COVID affected tennis players
34:45 Playing the ATP Finals with no fans
36:35 Diego’s best memory from his career
37:35 Why Diego kept tennis simple
38:40 Why your team matters so much
40:05 The Argentinian mentality in tennis
41:05 Alcaraz, Ferrero and staying fresh
42:50 Diego’s advice: invest in your team
44:45 Facing Rafa, Novak and Roger
45:25 Why Djokovic was the hardest opponent
46:10 The chaos of tennis scheduling
47:40 Was Diego born in the wrong era?
48:50 Giving back to South American tennis
49:30 Could Diego become a coach?
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Clips
Showing 10 of 12Transcript preview
First 90 secondsDiego Schwartzman· Guest0:00
I was very small. I didn't have that power that the guys have, and mentally I was very strong. If you want to be on the top, you have to win matches not playing your best. That's a big difference. I had my chances and I didn't took, yeah, stuff. For many years you push to the limit, and I think at what point your, your body's saying, "Okay, done."
Borja Durán· Host0:20
Were you afraid that because you were smaller than the rest of the field you will never make it? Clo Insiders, it's Caro Garcia. Before we start, one quick thing. If you enjoy this conversation, hit the subscribe button. It's the best way to help us grow and keep bringing you the players and coaches you love. Thank you so much. Diego, thank you so much for being with us today. How did you start with tennis?
Diego Schwartzman· Guest0:44
Uh, it's a good question because nobody in my family play tennis before. My mom and dad were playing, you know, at the weekend in Buenos Aires sometimes, but everyone in the family loves football, and I don't know why I start. You know, when, um, when I was, uh, very young, like six, seven years old, I, I, I was going to the, to the club during the weekend and doing everything, and I was playing foot- any sport, you know, and, uh, as a kid. And, uh, then I think I start to realize that I was playing a little bit better when I start to play the team matches- Mm ... you know, against other clubs when I was 10, 11 and, and yeah, and that's when- [laughs] ... when everything has start.
Caroline Garcia· Host1:28
And how was that transition