Roger Federer says he would rather have 1 or 2 options on hand & not 10: Diego Schwartzman
Roger Federer's wizard-like prowess on a tennis court has long been a source of awe for fans and players alike. Many believe that the sheer variety of skills at Federer's disposal makes him eligible for the title of Greatest Of All Time or GOAT, alongside his rivals Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
Roland Garros 2020 semifinalist Diego Schwartzman, in a recent interview, spoke about this very facet of Roger Federer's game. The Argentine also shed light on his relationship with Federer, and how he messes with the Swiss off the court.
I treat Roger Federer as if he were my best friend: Diego Schwartzman
Diego Schwartzman is amazed at Roger Federer's abilities on the court, and he likened the 39-year-old's effortlessness and simplicity to that of compatriot Lionel Messi. He also revealed that the Swiss maestro himself sometimes gets overwhelmed by the number of different things he can do with a racket.
"In tennis, what Roger is doing is inexplicable," said Schwartzman. "He does almost all of his shots with the same grip. He says that, like Messi in football, sometimes he would rather have fewer options on hand, have one or two and not 10 as is often the case. Technically, it's natural, efficient and more spectacular, it's difficult to do better."
The Argentine then went on to speak about his relationship with Roger Federer off the court, and how he treats the 20-time Grand Slam champion as one of his best friends.
"I treat Roger as if he were my best friend," said Schwartzman. "We talk to each other a lot, on all subjects and whenever I can tease him, I do. He has a sponsor pasta brand and I screw with him on that. I tell him when he will cook pasta for me. We're usually having a lot of fun."
The Argentine himself has been in incredible form over the last few months, defeating arguably the two best claycourt players on tour - Rafael Nadal in Rome and Dominic Thiem at Roland Garros. Roger Federer, on the other hand, aims to come back to the tour at the Australian Open next year.
The 39-year-old's long-time Grand Slam record was equaled for the first time since he became the leader in 2009, when Rafael Nadal won his record-extending 13th Roland Garros title in Paris.
Despite being considered by many as the GOAT, the Swiss would be keen to come back strong from his recent injury issues - just the way he did in 2017.