Thursday on the Wimbledon courts in 2025 will be remembered not only for the matches but also for the gentle smile of 38-year-old Fabio Fognini as he told reporters he was leaving big-time tennis. The day before, he had dragged two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz into a five-set duel, once again proving that unpredictable magic still lives in his racket. Let’s look back at how the tour’s most unrestrained Italian will remain in our memory.
Ballet on the Red Clay: The Magical Monte Carlo of 2019
Fognini staged his finest performance six years ago in the Principality. The Monte Carlo Masters began as a nightmare for the Italian: against Andrey Rublev he trailed 4–6, 1–4 and saved five break points in the sixth game of the second set. Then he switched to turbo mode: demolished Alexander Zverev, swept aside rising superstar Borna Ćorić and, above all, stripped Rafael Nadal of the title of “King of the Principality.” In the final, Dušan Lajović was merely a bystander. That Masters crown remains the peak of Fabio’s career and the perfect illustration of his style: shot geometry, quick footwork, and a constant search for open space instead of heavy artillery.
“Today Everyone Hits, I Dance”: The Clash of Generations
Fognini had long admitted he was out of tune with the new ATP reality. Back in 2022 he said, “When I quit, I won’t be able to watch the tour: endless forehand bombs, a serve — and the rally’s over. I’m from the old school where you have to think.” His play truly rested not on brute force but on rhythm changes and cunning. Fabio conducted the rally like a maestro, moving his opponent wherever he wished. Perhaps that is why he remains the last great clay-court artist fighting the era of accelerators and heavy rackets.
Records of Surges and Foot Faults
His unorthodox style cost him discipline: at Roland Garros 2011 Fognini committed 12 foot faults in one match — an all-time record for a Slam main draw. In that epic battle against Albert Montañes he still clawed out victory, saving five match points, but withdrew thereafter with injury. A similar act of daring came at the US Open 2015, where Fabio became the first player ever to rally from 0–2 in sets to beat Nadal at a Grand Slam. Comebacks are an inseparable part of his trademark show.
The Troublemaker From Sanremo: A Path Paved With Scandals
Fognini feared neither opponents nor umpires. In 2017 he received a conditional Grand-Slam ban for calling a female umpire a “whore” and a “cocksucker” at the US Open. In 2021 he was defaulted in Barcelona for insulting a line judge. His personal list of “enemies” is impressive:
- Rafael Nadal — the Italian yelled at the Spaniard more than once to “stop wasting time” and to “quit twisting my balls.”
- Stefanos Tsitsipas — when the Greek’s father coached from the stands, Fognini threatened, “Do something or I will; tell him to shut his mouth.”
- Andy Murray — at the 2019 Shanghai Masters he shouted during the Scot’s easy net shot; the spat ended with Murray’s famous “Shut up!”
- Corentin Moutet — in 2025 the veteran called the Frenchman “a little pig, a piece of shit.”
“I’ll Blow Up This Tournament!” — A Toy With a Fuse
Fognini’s sharpest line came after a loss on the London grass: “Sometimes I want to blow Wimbledon up.” The words were spoken in anger, yet journalists still cite them as a symbol of his unpredictability. Deeds matched words: rackets flew into the net, towels into the crowd, and umpire Carlos Bernardes once caught the blast for a warning: “You’re incompetent! I could tell you to go to hell — that’d be another story.”
Artistry in Every Gesture: “Mamma Mia!” and a Timeless Style
The Italian’s emotions turned the court into a theater. His legendary flop onto the surface while crying, “Madonna, oh Madonna!” after a disputed call made every ATP highlight reel. Tiny braids and the platinum-blond hair he dyed at 37 — after losing a bet — became his trademarks. Fognini understood the power of the camera and played to the crowd even when he was furious.
A Family Team: Alliance With Pennetta and Three “Fans” at Home
In private life Fabio showed the same resolve as in tie-breaks. In 2016 he married Flavia Pennetta, the 2015 US Open champion and one of the brightest players of the 2000s. Today the couple is raising three children. After the five-set battle with Alcaraz at Wimbledon 2025, Fognini asked Carlos for a jersey for his eldest son — a touching detail beneath the ATP’s hard-man façade.
An Honest Balance Sheet of an Explosive Character
“My temperament gave me a lot, but it took just as much: money, matches, trophies,” Fognini confessed. “But I’m not going to change. I’m ending my career just as I was — the real Fabio without a mask.” Indeed, we’ll remember him as a gifted provocateur who could take down a favorite on any surface and as the last romantic of the clay courts, who prized the beauty of a rally above first-serve percentage.
Fognini leaves behind a trail of records, scandals and breathtaking tennis. The sport will be a little quieter — perhaps a little less alive — without his temperament. And that’s exactly why Fabio’s name will echo around academy courts for years to come: a reminder that sport is not only statistics, but also a vivid human story.
