Liam Broady is relishing the opportunity to face Diego Schwartzman in the second round of Wimbledon – 12 months on from their previous meeting at SW19.
Stockport star Broady reached the second round after a thrilling 4-6 6-3 7-5 6-7 (2) 6-3 victory over Slovak qualifier Lukas Klein.
Having lost to Schwartzman – the 12th seed at the All England Club – in four sets a year ago at this stage, the 28-year-old is embracing the chance to face the Argentine once again.
“I’d hope I’m a year more experienced now. I think I did pretty well to get a set off of him last year. I think I was down in the set I won. I remember it being a real battle, even though we were on the grass,” said Broady, who benefits from the LTA’s NTC Access programme, which is for players ranked 100-200 in singles and 31-100 in doubles, providing cost-free access to courts on all three surfaces, coaching, trainers and the LTA’s tournament bonus scheme.
“Now I kind of have a better idea what he’s about. I’d like to think I’m a better player than I was 12 months ago. I’m sure Diego probably wants to believe he was a better player than he was 12 months ago as well. Everyone is always progressing or you’re going backwards.
“If there’s a surface to play him on, it’s definitely the grass. I need to take my chances and see what we can do.”
Broady’s match against Klein ebbed and flowed, with the Brit close to closing it out in four sets – only to find himself a break down in the fifth.
And he was understandably thrilled to have overcome what he sees as the mental and physical test of five sets, having received a wildcard into the main draw.
“There were times where I didn’t think I was going to get through that one,” he revealed.
“A break down in the first game in the fifth, new balls coming out. Obviously he’s got a huge serve as well. I was thinking I might be out of the singles pretty early this year.
“I managed to turn it around, and I’m really pleased with the way I hung in there. I think the five-set matches are a test of mental endurance as much as physical endurance.
“I thought I was going to be pretty focused on the doubles tomorrow with Jay Clarke at one point. I was up a break in the fourth. He was obviously probably thinking the same thing.
“I find it funny sometimes in matches when things happen but the other way around. I went a break up in the first game of the fourth, got broken straight back. The exact same thing happened to him start of the fifth but the other way around.”
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