Maradona tribute: My name is Diego because of you, says Argentine tennis star Diego Schwartzman in emotional post
Argentina tennis star, Diego Schwartzman, who for the first time broke into the top 10 of the world rankings this year, paid his tributes to the football legend Diego Maradona
In Short
- Had a good relationship with Maradona, he called me Dieguito [little Diego]: Schwartzman
- The men’s ATP Tour also paid its tribute to the Argentine legend
- I feel like you’re returning to where you belong, to HEAVEN: Juan Martin Del Potro
Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona died due to a heart attack on Wednesday in his Buenos Aires home and people from across the world have expressed their tributes to the star.
An interesting tribute came from another sportsman from his country. The talented tennis star, Diego Schwartzman, who for the first time broke into the top 10 of the world rankings this year.
On Instagram, Schwartzman posted a video of Maradona, writing in Spanish, “I love you forever.” The tribute included “D10S,” or “dios,” the Spanish word for God — a nickname given to Maradona, who is revered in Argentina. Schwartzman also wrote in a second post that he is crying constantly and, in Spanish, “My name is Diego because of you.”
"I think 98% of my name, Diego, is because of Maradona."@dieschwartzman pic.twitter.com/a9UqrpxszZ — ATP Tour (@atptour) November 25, 2020
“He comes from Argentina, so wherever we go, everyone knows Argentina thanks to Maradona! This is the reason why I have the first name, Diego,” Schwartzman said earlier in November.
During the Paris Masters tournament, he wrote a tribute to his hero, signing “#FuerzaDiego” (translates as ‘Strength Deigo’) on a TV camera following a second-round win. Maradona was at that time admitted to a hospital for a surgery to remove a blood clot in the brain.
The tennis star has earlier also said that Maradona referred to him as Dieguito [little Diego] in the past and knew him well.
“I have a good relationship with Maradona. He says what he feels and he keeps it ‘real.’ What you see is what you get with Maradona. He’s an asset to all Argentinian athletes. He’s got a sense of humor, too.
“Before, he’d say ‘hey Dieguito [little Diego], say hello to big Diego.’ When I reached the quarter-finals at the U.S. Open [in 2017], he told me I no longer go by Dieguito. From that point on, I’m also big Diego,” Schwartzman had said.
Former U.S. Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro joined fellow Argentineans in mourning the loss of Maradona, widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time.
“I feel like you’re returning to where you belong, to HEAVEN. For me you will never die,” said del Potro.