Tennis star Diego Schwartzman recalls first meeting with Lionel Messi, reveals how he called Rafa Nadal 'lucky' after Roland Garros Q/Fs

Argentine tennis player Diego Schwartzman has recalled meeting Lionel Messi for the first time. The meeting came after he lost against Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals of the 2018 Roland Garros.

Schwartzman stated that he met the former Paris Saint-Germain star before the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. After his campaign at the 2018 French Open ended, he had to take a flight from Barcelona. Coincidentally, the Argentina national team was also practising at the same place.

The 31-year-old decided to visit the training and meet a few players. When Schwartzman had an interaction with Lionel Messi, he asked the tennis player about Rafael Nadal's luck. Schwartzman said (via UTS Tour):

"So I went there with a few players and spoke [to Messi]. And the first thing he said to me was, ‘How lucky was Rafa?’ In Spanish, obviously, ‘How lucky was Rafa with the rain?’ Because I was a set and a break ahead and the rain stopped the match."

The Argentine was leading against Nadal in the quarterfinal match with a set and a breakpoint. However, the play was stopped on the day because of rain. On the next day, when the match resumed, Nadal easily sealed the victory (3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2).

Rafael Nadal's prowess at the Roland Garros has been unparalleled in the world of tennis. The Spaniard has won 22 Grand Slam titles, out of which 14 are from the French Open. He's expected to make his much-awaited return during the upcoming Australian Open, which will be taking place in January next year.

Arsenal Legend backs Lionel Messi for the 2023 Ballon d'Or ahead of Erling Haaland

Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour has backed Lionel Messi to win the 2023 Ballon d'Or. Last year, Messi guided Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar. The former Barcelona star recorded seven goals and three assists in seven appearances for Albiceleste.

As a result, he has been seen as the front-runner in the race for the Ballon d'Or, ahead of Erling Haaland, who won a treble with Manchester City. Despite the Norwegian's brilliant performance with the Etihad outfit last season, Parlour thinks Messi should be the winner. He said (via TalkSPORT):

"He was brilliant at that World Cup. That was the icing on the cake!”

Last season, Messi recorded a total of 21 goals and 20 assists across competitions for Paris Saint-Germain. On the other side, Haaland scored 52 goals and provided nine assists in 53 appearances for Pep Guardiola's side.