Diego Schwartzman joins Caroline Garcia and Borja Durán for a deeply honest conversation about the real cost of a life in professional tennis.

From growing up in Argentina with limited resources, to fighting his way through Futures and Challengers, to facing Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer on the biggest stages, Diego built one of the most respected careers in tennis through discipline, intelligence, resilience and heart.

But in this episode, Diego opens up about the side of tennis fans rarely see: the anxiety, the exhaustion, the constant travel, the pressure to keep going, and the moment he realized that even winning matches no longer felt good.

He shares why he decided to retire, what it felt like to write his retirement letter, why Djokovic was the hardest player he faced, what young players misunderstand about building a team, and why sometimes the bravest decision is knowing when to stop.

A raw, funny and emotional conversation with one of tennis’ most loved competitors.

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Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 Intro

00:45 How Diego started playing tennis

02:10 The financial reality of becoming a pro

04:20 Managing outside support and pressure

05:10 Moving from Argentina to Europe

06:30 Why Diego didn’t play the traditional junior route

07:30 Breaking through Futures and Challengers

09:10 Building belief as a smaller player

10:50 Did his height ever make him doubt himself?

12:05 The tactics that shaped Diego’s game

14:20 Winning without playing your best

16:30 The team that pushed Diego to the limit

17:10 Why Diego retired at 32

18:00 Caroline and Diego on losing the fire

19:45 Why athletes don’t have to play until 35

21:15 The first signs something was wrong

22:10 When winning no longer felt good

23:20 Anxiety, burnout and listening to his body

24:30 The psychologist who told Diego the truth

26:45 Sponsors, money and the pressure to continue

27:45 Announcing his retirement

30:00 Crying after writing his retirement letter

31:20 Did Diego have balance during his career?

32:15 How COVID affected tennis players

34:45 Playing the ATP Finals with no fans

36:35 Diego’s best memory from his career

37:35 Why Diego kept tennis simple

38:40 Why your team matters so much

40:05 The Argentinian mentality in tennis

41:05 Alcaraz, Ferrero and staying fresh

42:50 Diego’s advice: invest in your team

44:45 Facing Rafa, Novak and Roger

45:25 Why Djokovic was the hardest opponent

46:10 The chaos of tennis scheduling

47:40 Was Diego born in the wrong era?

48:50 Giving back to South American tennis

49:30 Could Diego become a coach?

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In this special episode of Tennis Insider Club, Caroline Garcia and Borja Duran sit down for an honest, personal conversation about life on tour, the reality behind professional tennis, performance, pressure, identity, and what fans don’t usually see from the outside.

No guest. No filter. Just a deeper look into Caroline’s world — from the emotions of competing at the highest level, to the lessons learned through wins, losses, injuries, expectations, and the constant search for balance in an individual sport.

Caroline opens up about the mental side of tennis, the sacrifices behind the ranking, the challenge of staying true to yourself, and what it really means to build a career — and a life — beyond results.

If you love tennis, high performance, mindset, athlete stories, or the human side of elite sport, this episode gives you rare access to one of the most thoughtful voices in the game.

This episode is brought to you by Fairmont Mayakoba, a luxury resort in the Riviera Maya where nature, wellness, sport, and world-class hospitality come together. Discover the perfect destination to rest, reconnect, and experience Mexico at its most beautiful.

Follow Tennis Insider Club for more unfiltered conversations with the biggest names in tennis.

Hosted by Caroline Garcia and Borja Duran.

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Former World No. 2 Paula Badosa opens up to Caroline Garcia about the grueling reality of chronic injuries and the hidden struggles of the pro tour. Paula reveals the physical toll of playing matches on painkillers, the mental exhaustion of dealing with social media trolls, and the exclusive one-hour phone call with her idol, Rafael Nadal, that helped her navigate her darkest moments.

🌟 SPONSOR: IM8 Health A special thanks to IM8 Health for sponsoring this episode! IM8 Daily Essentials is our non-negotiable on tour—delivering 99 clinically dosed ingredients for gut, energy, and joint support to help with longevity and performance. 💪 Get 10% off your first order (code TIC auto-applies at checkout): https://im8health.com/discount/TIC

In this episode, we cover:

• (00:00) The reality of chronic injuries and the Miami incident
• (04:01) Changing her tennis identity to protect her body
• (09:00) Escaping the lonely, intense energy of the Tour
• (14:00) The toxic trap of linking self-worth to winning
• (19:00) "Let's try one more time": Playing through the pain
• (26:00) Fighting back against social media trolls
• (37:00) The one-hour phone call with Rafael Nadal
• (41:00) The biggest mistake young tennis players make
• (49:00) Why she is chasing inner peace over happiness

Join the Club: If you loved this raw conversation, make sure to follow the podcast so you never miss an episode.

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