AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 18, 2022

Diego Schwartzman

Press Conference

D. SCHWARTZMAN/F. Krajinovic

6-3, 6-4, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Great first round. How are you feeling?

DIEGO SCHWARTZMAN: I'm feeling very well. I think it was a difficult first match. Since the draw is out, I think for him and for me, it was a difficult draw to start the first Grand Slam of the year, but at the end I think I did great work since the beginning of the match. It was a difficult day because it was windy, and that court it's like open, you know. It's difficult to hit very clean the ball.

I think I was solid. I was doing good things on court, and at the end I had a few cramps in my legs, so that's why I think the match didn't finish before.

But right now I'm okay, so I'm very happy to go through.

Q. How impactful was Guillermo Vilas in your career?

DIEGO SCHWARTZMAN: Well, I'm not very young now, but when I started to play he already retired, but Guillermo I think represented the word "tennis" in our country. When everything start, Guillermo and Batata Clerc were playing, Guillermo before, and he was one of the best in our sport history.

For sure I think not me but the before generation of players start and become tennis players because of him. I think everyone loves him in our country, yeah.

Q. Is he someone you want to emulate in your career?

DIEGO SCHWARTZMAN: No, I'm late to do it. You have to start winning titles when you are 15 maybe to follow his steps. But I think everyone remembers his name every time, and for our history and our tennis in Argentina, he was and he is very important.