Diego Schwartzman and Paulo Dybala, a Juventus footballer, are close friends who talk frequently and visit each other around the world to spend quality time together whenever they can.
The pair recently shared a relaxed chat about the recovery routines in tennis and football. Among many other things, they also touched upon interesting subjects such as sports psychology and the importance of keeping your feet on the ground.
Schwartzman said that when he looks at other sports, the thing he finds most intriguing is post-match recovery. “Every tennis player does what they have to in order to feel comfortable, but the order is bike, ice and a bit of stretching and massages to recover,” he explained.
Dybala’s routine is similar, although there are some differences. In football it is more of a team routine, with the peace of mind that they have at least three days until the next match. “But you still always have to recover quickly,” Dybala said.
“Win or lose, I have to see what happened, what I did in the match,” Schwartzman said. Dybala’s experience is different. “We always watch matches, but it’s more play by play, I can memorise the matches.” offered the footballer, who has played for the Italian giants since 2015.
“Your head is fundamental, and it’s a part of training. But when you switch on, it has to be 100%,” said Dybala. “That’s the difference between the elite and the rest. The small details,” added Schwartzman.