After a shock exit at Monte-Carlo, Argentine tennis star Diego Schwartzman has arrived in Barcelona with a point to prove.

The current World No.9 fell to Norwegian tennis star Casper Rudd in the third round at the Principality and will open his campaign at Conde de Godo with a few question marks hanging around his form.

Though he picked up his first Tour title this year on clay at the Argentina Open, the setback at Monte-Carlo has got many to question if he can hold his own and check his faltering season in a draw that is vastly superior to Argentina.

However, the 28-year-old knows that the onus is on him to erase all doubts around his form and lay down an early marker ahead of sterner battles in the claycourt season.

Speaking to the press ahead of the tournament, the Argentine said he always tries to out-skill his rivals on court and the fact that it didn’t happen in Monte-Carlo has given him a reason to introspect.

Diego Schwartzman says there weren’t any concerns around his form coming into Monte-Carlo Masters

“I always try to see what I do on the court more than what the rival does. In Monte-Carlo, I did not pass the exam, so now I have to analyze why I was not able to pass it,” said Schwartzman, who shares his first name with departed soccer god Diego Maradona.

He added that he arrived at the French principality without too many concerns around his form and was surprised by the manner in which his campaign was cut short.

The Buenos Aires-born player said that he lost to the likes of rising Italian Lorenzo Musetti, Russian Aslan Karatsev, Rudd and current World No.2 Daniil Medvedev and has to sit down and calmly examine why they played a round or two more than him.

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“This year, I lost to Musetti, Karatsev, Rudd and Medvedev. I think we also have to analyze the rivals, all of them went through another round, that way I am a bit calmer,” Schwartzman said.

He said his focus ahead of the Barcelona opener would be to pick the flaws from his losses and make sure he doesn’t repeat them.

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The World No.9 said he would like to regain his rhythm at the earliest to “feel strong again”.