NEW YORK _ Diego Schwartzman will remember the opportunity he missed Tuesday in his U.S. Open quarterfinal match, when he had three break points in the ninth game of the second set against Pablo Carreno Busta. But he will have equally keen memories of the lively atmosphere and the sense of having participated in a grand occasion in a Grand Slam event.
Schwartzman, the 5-foot-7 Argentinian who captured fans' hearts with his gritty play and his comeback against No. 5 seed Marin Cilic, was beaten by Spaniard Carreno Busta 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Carreno Busta, the No. 12 seed who hasn't dropped a set in five matches, will advance to the semifinals against either American Sam Querrey or South African Kevin Anderson.
It's of considerable consolation to Schwartzman _ who never had gotten past the third round in a Slam before _ that he gained warm memories of an exciting experience here and that it ended against a friend who simply was the better player on that given day.
"It's unbelievable there outside, playing in Arthur Ashe quarterfinals against a friend like Pablo," said Schwartzman, the No. 29 seed. "I think the first two sets were close for both players, and we did very good points. Always I think the people enjoy that."
Carreno Busta, 26, got a favorable draw here and became the first male player to face four straight qualifiers at a Grand Slam in the Open Era. He was dealt a good hand, but he still had to play it and he played it well.
"When you have this draw you have to do your best to take advantage, so I think that is a really good tournament for me," he said. "I know that I didn't win matches against top players, Top 10 or Top 20 players, but I am happy with my tournament."
Besides, his draws haven't always been so kind.
"First time that I play a Grand Slam I play against Roger Federer in Roland Garros," he said of a straight-sets loss to the Swiss master at the French Open in 2013.
Carreno Busta won six of eight break points against Schwartzman and saved those three break points in that pivotal eighth game of the second set, when Schwartzman was trying to take a 5-4 lead. "It was the most important moment of the match," Carreno Busta said. "It was the key."
