Diego Schwartzmann shares hilarious story of Roger Federer’s playful side: “By far the most mischievous guy”
ATP
Former world No. 8 Diego Schwartzman shared how he got to know the playful side of Roger Federer in a fun interview in Argentina. The former French Open semifinalist also recalled his victory over Rafael Nadal while preparing for his upcoming retirement at the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires.
Schwartzman struggled with injuries in recent years, which prevented him from performing at the level of his peak years, where he faced the Big-3 on multiple occasions, enduring painful defeats.
Schwartzman recalls fun moments with Federer
Despite his shorter stature at 5’7’’ (1.70 meters), the Argentine is bidding farewell to a remarkable career as a top-10 player. Schwartzman ends his career with four titles and ten finals—one of them at the Rome Open, where he defeated Nadal. He also reached the semifinals of Roland Garros and made four appearances in Grand Slam quarterfinals.
Read also
As he prepares for his retirement in two months at his home tournament, the ATP 250 Buenos Aires Open, Schwartzman took part in a fun interview on the Argentine TV show “La Noche Perfecta” (Perfect Night), where he spoke about his relationship with the 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer. “Are you friends with Federer? More or less?” asked the presenter.
“I get along with him, but we’re not friends,” Schwartzman replied.
“Is it true that he’s more mischievous than he seems?”
“Much more,” said the former world No. 8. “He’s the opposite of what people think, by far the most mischievous.”
“Federer? Swiss, serious, and all that, he doesn’t sweat,” added presenter Sebastián Wainraich.
“All day,” Schwartzman insisted. “Whatever you imagine, but the biggest ‘nonsense,’ when you’re training, the times you have to share a training session, he’s always hitting balls at 150 km/h (93 miles per hour) at his team, nonstop. If they’re not paying attention, it hits them in the chest.”
“And you think, ‘What’s going on?’ and he bursts out laughing. He keeps hitting his team, pulling his pants down, all the nonsense we do (as Argentinians), I swear,” Schwartzman added.
Read also
Schwartzman’s famous victory over Nadal
‘Peque’ Schwartzman, a clay specialist, faced Rafael Nadal multiple times on the ATP Tour, with Nadal winning 11 of their encounters and Schwartzman winning just once. Five of those matches were in Grand Slam tournaments, where the Spaniard halted some of Schwartzman’s most important streaks.
Nadal defeated him at the 2015 US Open (second round) and 2018 Australian Open (fourth round). However, the most painful losses came later: US Open quarterfinals (2019), Roland Garros semifinals (2020), and US Open quarterfinals (2021). Schwartzman’s lone victory over Nadal came at the Rome Open (a month before their encounter at Philippe Chatrier).
On that occasion, Schwartzman ended a nine-match losing streak to Nadal, securing a straight-set win (6-2, 7-5) that propelled him into the semifinals. After defeating Denis Shapovalov in the semis, he faced Novak Djokovic in the final, who claimed his fifth title in Rome.
“When I beat Nadal in Rome, it felt like my career was defined by that moment. On the contrary, I was very consistent for a long time, and now people only remember that match. ‘You beat Nadal in Rome.’”
“The most special part of that year was that it was during the full pandemic, so there was no one in the stadium. It was special because I was experiencing the best moment of my career, but at the same time, you felt like if you touched something (tapping the table), you could catch the virus, and the next day you could be out.”
“I think in that sense, having fewer people actually helped me, because sometimes those ‘beasts’ wake up with the crowd and want to put on more of a show, and you get more tense. With less noise, everything went more unnoticed.”
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
claps 0visitors 0
Just In
Popular News
Latest Comments
- I, like writer of this wonderful article, also picked Noskova to win this entire thing. I would love it if she and Andreeva are in the final.Rapunzel12-11-2026
- "Priorities", Saba... spend less time in front of cameras, anti-Social Media, selfies and back to Tennis.
mandoist12-11-2026 - Tell this to Andreeva!mandoist12-11-2026
- Andreeva with 11 games in a row to add to Saba's downward spiral issue !!! Personal feelings aside... Jess Pegula may want to reassess her evaluation of Mirra's abilities.mandoist12-11-2026
- I predicted whenthe list was finalised that Linda Noskova would win the WTA Finals and her matches against Gauff and Kostyuk prove that. She is the best (underrated) player in the world!Rapunzel11-11-2026
- Either Lena has a chronic internal ailment (i.e., colitis, enteritis, Crohn's, or some type of lower abdomen issue) -- or she is once again dealing with 'Vukovitis'. Mental stress can indeed cause lower body pains. No matter... whatever is truly going on sucks. "Virus" excuse is getting a bit old -- and often -- at this point.mandoist09-11-2026
- Ironically, Martina became a U.S. Citizen about the same time as the Orange Convicted Felon & Abuser was just beginning on his road to losing all Daddy's Millions!!mandoist09-11-2026
- "Another fresh start is in the cards." Thanks for the Humor!! I'm guessing this is the minimum one can do to keep all your sponsors hanging-on in perpetuity?mandoist09-11-2026
- Vukov is doing this to Lena... AGAIN!!!!! WTA's autonomous collective should be dismantled for allowing Vukov to re-emerge from his hand-slapping suspension. Just ask WTA employees how that's been going lately as they witness his continued verbal abuses. Women's Pro Tennis should start over.mandoist08-11-2026
- Can't help but suspect Vukov is back to his old self again. Thank you, WTA. Perhaps you can give them a "Battling Couple of the Year Award 2026" ??mandoist08-11-2026
