Thiem and Schwartzman Aim for Final Roland Garros Appearance in Qualifying

Dominic Thiem and Diego Schwartzman, two beloved tennis stars, are set to embark on a poignant journey next week as they attempt to qualify for one final appearance at the prestigious Roland Garros tournament.

Thiem, a two-time finalist at the French Open, and Schwartzman, a former semifinalist, are among the players vying for a spot in the main draw. Their participation is contingent on no player withdrawals over the weekend that would allow Thiem to automatically qualify.

The Austrian and Argentine have a long history of competition and friendship. On Friday, Schwartzman shared a heartfelt message on social media, expressing their shared determination to make one last run at Roland Garros.

"Let's try one more time @domithiem," Schwartzman wrote.

In 2020, Schwartzman narrowly defeated Thiem in a thrilling quarterfinal that lasted over five hours. Since then, they have combined for only one additional Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance, with Schwartzman reaching the last eight at Roland Garros a year later.

Both players have recently announced their plans to retire from professional tennis. Thiem will bid farewell in Vienna this fall, while Schwartzman intends to hang up his racquet in his hometown of Buenos Aires next February.

Thiem's last competitive match was a second-round qualifying loss to Thanasi Kokkinakis in Madrid. His only previous Grand Slam qualifying attempt was a successful one at the 2014 Australian Open.

Schwartzman, known affectionately as "El Peque," first qualified for Roland Garros in 2012. He was eliminated in the first round of Australian Open qualifying earlier this year.

The upcoming Roland Garros qualifying tournament will be a bittersweet moment for Thiem and Schwartzman. It will be their last chance to compete on the hallowed clay courts of Paris and to create more memories in a sport that has brought them so much joy and success.

Tags: #RolandGarros, #DominicThiem, #DiegoSchwartzman, #Tennis, #Qualifying