NEW YORK—Is someone cutting onions in Queens?
It was an emotional opening day at the US Open, which started with 2020 champion Dominic Thiem waving farewell to tennis. And the tears just kept coming, after Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman also played his final Grand Slam match on Monday.
Up against Gael Monfils, Schwartzman rallied fans on Grandstand as he took the opening set in a tiebreak, but ran out of steam as the Frenchman closed out a 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 victory—marking the end of Schwartzman’s major career.
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Schwartzman, who peaked at world No. 8 on the ATP Tour back in 2020, announced his retirement back in May. Exhausted from travel and his drop in level—he’s been ranked outside the Top 100 all year—the 32-year-old has said he aims to close out his final chapter on home soil in Buenos Aires next year.
After their US Open match, classy Monfils let Schwartzman have his moment with the fans, as tournament organizers unveiled a touching career tribute for the Argentine.