I treat Roger Federer like my best friend: Diego Schwartzman

• Diego Schwartzman talked about his relationship with Roger Federer, and how the Swiss is friendly with everyone.
• The Argentine star also had words for Daniil Medvedev, whom he had gotten into an altercation with at the ATP Cup.

Argentine tennis star Diego Schwartzman, has opened up on his relationship with Roger Federer on and off the field. The World No. 13 revealed that he treats the Swiss legend as his best friend, while also heaping praise on Federer's unique style of playing the game.

In his recent interaction with ESPN, Diego Schwartzman also discussed his personal life and the changes in his relationship with Daniil Medvedev after the ATP Cup incident. He even talked about his retirement plans, and how he doesn't want to be playing tennis in his late 30s.

Playing against Roger Federer is 'inexplicable': Diego Schwartzman

Diego Schwartzman was a part of the Team World that took part in Laver Cup 2018. Roger Federer was the highest-ranked player in the opposition ranks, and his twin victories in singles encounters helped Europe win by a large margin. The Argentine star got an opportunity to play just one game, where he lost to David Goffin.

Schwartzman has clashed with Roger Federer four times in his career so far, losing all four matches. Their first meeting took place at the French Open tournament in 2014, where the current World No. 4 beat his rival in straight sets.

Roger Federer defeated Schwartzman easily once again at the Indian Wells ATP Masters 1000, but the Buenos Aires native gave Federer a run for his money in Turkey. Their Istanbul Open semifinal proved to be a close encounter, where the Swiss player squeaked out a win.

They met again in China, where Roger Federer won in straight sets. Schwartzman knows what it's like to play the Swiss legend, but he also has tremendous affection for the man that many consider to be the greatest of all time.

Speaking of his relationship with Roger Federer, Schwartzman said:

"I treat Roger Federer like my best friend. And during the last tournament, he used to prank us."

Diego Schwartzman also commented on the unimaginable things that Roger Federer can do on the court. According to the Argentine, Federer is like a 'dancer' who has every trick in the book.

"Playing against Federer is inexplicable. With the same grip, he plays all the shots you can think of. He looks like a dancer on the court."

Diego Schwartzman talks about his argument with Daniil Medvedev

During the quarterfinals of ATP Cup 2020, Diego Schwartzman had a heated exchange of words with Daniil Medvedev. The Argentine mentioned that they were good friends before that incident, but that has changed now:

"Before (the incident) we had a good relationship but I no longer greet him or train with him. Even (Russian team captain) Marat Safin came to apologize to me."

Schwartzman also spoke about his personal life and the difficulties he faced while growing up. The South American star added that he likes the lifestyle of a samurai, and has incorporated meditation in his life - which has helped him a lot.

Finally, he spoke about his retirement plans and told the host Alejandro Fantino:

"My idea is to retire much younger than 40. Life is one and I want to enjoy it physically well."

Published 27 May 2020, 15:53 IST