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Wimbledon 2022: Liam Broady relishing Schwartzman rematch after round one victory

Wimbledon 2022: Liam Broady relishing Schwartzman rematch after round one victory

By Oli Dickson Jefford at Wimbledon

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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