Successful start

Schwärzler shines in Messi and Maradona’s footsteps

Lionel Messi, Joel Schwärzler and Diego Maradona.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/GEPA Pictures)

Austria's tennis hope Joel has started his season in South America. Having already served at Challenger tournaments in Buenos Aires, Uruguay and Brazil, the 19-year-old is now back in Argentina. And he is following in the footsteps of soccer icons Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona.

Argentina's third-largest city, Rosario, has a population of just under one million. In Europe, it is not known for being an important railroad hub or the shipping center of northeastern Argentina. In this country, Rosario is primarily known because Diego Armando Maradona signed for the local Newell's Old Boys in September 1993 and played one season - in which he only made five appearances - at the Estadio Marcelo Bielsa. Among others, in front of the eyes of a certain Lionel Messi. He was born in the city on the Rio Parana in 1987 and started his career with Newell's Old Boys before joining FC Barcelona in 2000 - the rest is history...

ÖTV youngster on tour in South America
Joel Schwärzler also wants to make history. Not with the soccer ball, however, but with the tennis ball. The former number one in the junior world rankings is starting his second season in adult tennis with a Challenger series in South America. After the Vorarlberg native - currently ranked number 320 in the world - was defeated by Alvaro Guillen Meza (Ecu/ATP no. 270) in the round of 16 at the tournament in Buenos Aires, he was beaten by Argentinian Juan Bautista Torres (ATP no. 281) in the qualifying final at the event in Punta del Este (Uru). Schwärzler then successfully fought his way through qualifying at the tournament in Piracicaba (Bra), but had to retire in the first main round against Pedro Sakamoto (ATP no. 345).

Strong start in Rosario
Things should now go better at his fourth South American stop - and it will be played in Rosario. At the Jockey Club, which is just under eight kilometers from the Estadio Marcelo Bielsa, Schwärzler once again made a strong showing in qualifying. In the first round, he made short work of Hernan Casanova (Arg) and left the clay court after 1:21 hours as a 6:2, 6:2 winner.

The winner of the 2023 Juniors final had a much tougher time in the qualifying final. Against the top seed Adolfo Daniel Vallejo (ATP no. 211), the Harder conceded a break in the first set to go 1:3 down - a deficit he was unable to make up. The first set went to the 20-year-old South American after 43 minutes. Both played a solid service game in the second set. It took until the seventh game before Vallejo had his first chance to break. However, Schwärzler was able to fend it off. At 6:5, the player from Vorarlberg then earned two break chances, the first of which he took directly to level the set at 1:1 after 55 minutes of play.

Federico Coria has already been put in his place by an Austrian in Kitzbühel.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Lukas Neumayer knows how it's done
In the decider, Joel then took his opponent's serve to make it 3:1, which finally swung the pendulum in the young Austrian's favor. He only allowed Vallejo one more game and left the court as the 3:6, 7:5, 6:2 winner after a total playing time of 2:18. Federico Coria awaits in the first main round of the 200,000 US dollar (approx. 193,000 euros) tournament on Tuesday. The 32-year-old is currently ranked 100th in the world rankings, but was already ranked 49th in February 2023. Schwärzler could get tips on how to win against Coria from Lukas Neumayer from Salzburg: He knocked the Argentinian out of the stadium 6:1 and 6:2 in the Kitzbühel qualifier in July 2023...