Latest news with #Fognini
New Straits Times
10-07-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
'Hothead' Fognini announces retirement from tennis
LONDON: Fabio Fognini announced his retirement from tennis at Wimbledon yesterday as one of the sport's most colourful characters called time on his volatile career. Fognini had revealed ahead of the Rome Masters in May that he planned to retire in the next 12 months. The 38-year-old Italian has brought forward that decision, with his last match ending in a five-set loss against defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz in the first round at the All England Club last week. "Today is something official. I say goodbye to everybody," Fognini told reporters. Fognini's career-high in the ATP rankings was ninth place in 2019, while he won nine ATP Tour titles, including his only Masters 1000 triumph in Monte Carlo in 2019. He enjoyed a memorable five-set comeback win against Rafael Nadal at the US Open in 2015 and beat then world number one Andy Murray in Rome in 2017. Fognini was renowned for his unpredictable behaviour on court, willingly describing himself as a hothead. He was fined at Wimbledon in 2019 for saying during a match that he wished "a bomb would explode at the club". That outburst came after he was suspended from the 2017 US Open for insulting a female chair umpire. In 2014, Fognini was fined $27,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct at Wimbledon. Now ranked 138th, Fognini, whose best Grand Slam run was a quarter-final appearance at the 2011 French Open, said his battle with injuries had taken a toll. "The last three years of my career I was suffering a lot with injuries," he said. "After that match (against Alcaraz), I don't want to come back on some stage where I don't want to be. After this tournament, I will drop in the rankings. "I will still love this sport. I have a lot of memories in my head. I played against Roger (Federer), Rafa, against Nole (Novak Djokovic). Winning a Slam for me was impossible. "I told my wife (former female star Flavia Pennetta) two days ago that this was my decision. I'm happy the way I said goodbye to the professional tennis career. I did my best. I'm leaving today."
Perth Now
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
'Best way to say goodbye': Fognini announces retirement
Italy's flamboyant star Fabio Fognini has announced his retirement from tennis, calling time on a 21-year career that culminated with a memorable five-set thriller against defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz that left Centre Court on its feet. The 38-year-old veteran pushed Alcaraz to the brink over more than four-and-a-half hours last week, twice clawing his way back into the contest against a player 16 years his junior before eventually falling 7-5 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 2-6 6-1 in the first round. Despite the defeat, Fognini walked off to a standing ovation in his final Wimbledon appearance, a fitting farewell he clearly relished at what he described as the "most beautiful court in the world". "I think it is the best way to say goodbye," Fognini, who once reached a career-high of world No.9, told reporters. "It wasn't easy because the last three years of my career I was suffering a lot with injury. But as a competitor, I tried to do my best every time I stepped on court. "But now I have to be honest with myself. I was not really positive, but now I have to be. I have to congratulate myself and say after that match I don't want to come back in some stage that I don't want to be there." Fognini is married to Flavia Pennetta, who famously won her first grand slam singles title at the 2015 U.S. Open at the age of 33 before retiring later that year. However, Fognini said he had no such opportunities as he acknowledged the harsh reality of competing during the sport's golden era when the 'Big Three' of Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic dominated the game. "I was able to play in an era that probably is going to be the best era, forever, in the sport. I played against Roger, against Rafa, against Nole," he said. "Winning a Slam for me was impossible. I have to be honest," he added with a smile. Fognini was one of the great characters of the game, as notoriously temperamental and theatrical as he could be brilliant. He didn't always love Wimbledon either, once getting punished and having to apologise for suggesting in a grumbling on-court aside that the place should be blown up. "I'm happy the way I say goodbye to the professional tennis career. I did my best," he said.
Observer
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Observer
Fognini announces retirement from tennis
LONDON: Fabio Fognini announced his retirement from tennis at Wimbledon on Wednesday as one of the sport's most colourful characters called time on his volatile career. Fognini had revealed ahead of the Rome Masters in May that he planned to retire in the next 12 months. The 38-year-old Italian has brought forward that decision, with his last match ending in a five-set loss against defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz in the first round at the All England Club last week. "Today is something official. I say goodbye to everybody," Fognini told reporters. Fognini's career-high in the ATP rankings was ninth place in 2019, while he won nine ATP Tour titles, including his only Masters 1000 triumph in Monte Carlo in 2019. He enjoyed a memorable five-set comeback win against Rafael Nadal at the US Open in 2015 and beat then world number one Andy Murray in Rome in 2017. Fognini was renowned for his unpredictable behaviour on court, willingly describing himself as a hothead. He was fined at Wimbledon in 2019 for saying during a match that he wished "a bomb would explode at the club". That outburst came after he was suspended from the 2017 US Open for insulting a female chair umpire. In 2014, Fognini was fined $27,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct at Wimbledon. Now ranked 138th, Fognini, whose best Grand Slam run was a quarterfinal appearance at the 2011 French Open, said his battle with injuries had taken a toll. "The last three years of my career I was suffering a lot with injuries," he said. "After that match (against Alcaraz), I don't want to come back on some stage where I don't want to be. After this tournament, I will drop in the rankings. "I will still love this sport. I have a lot of memories in my head. I played against Roger (Federer), Rafa, against Nole (Novak Djokovic). Winning a Slam for me was impossible. "I told my wife (former female star Flavia Pennetta) two days ago that this was my decision. I'm happy the way I said goodbye to the professional tennis career. I did my best. I'm leaving today." — AFP
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Hothead' Fognini announces retirement from tennis
Fabio Fognini won nine ATP Tour titles including his only Masters 1000 triumph in Monte Carlo in 2019 (HENRY NICHOLLS) Fabio Fognini announced his retirement from tennis at Wimbledon on Wednesday as one of the sport's most colourful characters called time on his volatile career. Fognini had revealed ahead of the Rome Masters in May that he planned to retire in the next 12 months. Advertisement The 38-year-old Italian has brought forward that decision, with his last match ending in a five-set loss against defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz in the first round at the All England Club last week. "Today is something official. I say goodbye to everybody," Fognini told reporters. Fognini's career-high in the ATP rankings was ninth place in 2019, while he won nine ATP Tour titles, including his only Masters 1000 triumph in Monte Carlo in 2019. He enjoyed a memorable five-set comeback win against Rafael Nadal at the US Open in 2015 and beat then world number one Andy Murray in Rome in 2017. Advertisement Fognini was renowned for his unpredictable behaviour on court, willingly describing himself as a hothead. He was fined at Wimbledon in 2019 for saying during a match that he wished "a bomb would explode at the club". That outburst came after he was suspended from the 2017 US Open for insulting a female chair umpire. In 2014, Fognini was fined $27,500 for unsportsmanlike conduct at Wimbledon. Now ranked 138th, Fognini, whose best Grand Slam run was a quarter-final appearance at the 2011 French Open, said his battle with injuries had taken a toll. "The last three years of my career I was suffering a lot with injuries," he said. Advertisement "After that match (against Alcaraz), I don't want to come back on some stage where I don't want to be. After this tournament, I will drop in the rankings. "I will still love this sport. I have a lot of memories in my head. I played against Roger (Federer), Rafa, against Nole (Novak Djokovic). Winning a Slam for me was impossible. "I told my wife (former female star Flavia Pennetta) two days ago that this was my decision. I'm happy the way I said goodbye to the professional tennis career. I did my best. I'm leaving today." smg/bsp
Hindustan Times
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Tennis-'Best way to say goodbye': Fognini retires after Wimbledon epic with Alcaraz
LONDON, - Italy's Fabio Fognini announced his retirement from tennis on Wednesday, calling time on a 21-year career that culminated with a memorable five-set thriller against defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz that left Centre Court on its feet. Tennis-'Best way to say goodbye': Fognini retires after Wimbledon epic with Alcaraz The 38-year-old veteran pushed Alcaraz to the brink over more than 4-1/2 hours last week, twice clawing his way back into the contest against a player 16 years his junior before eventually falling 7-5 6-7 7-5 2-6 6-1 in the first round. Despite the defeat, Fognini walked off to a standing ovation in his final Wimbledon appearance, a fitting farewell he clearly relished at what he described as the "most beautiful court in the world". "I think it is the best way to say goodbye," Fognini, who once reached a career-high of world number nine, told reporters. "It wasn't easy because the last three years of my career I was suffering a lot with injury. But as a competitor, I tried to do my best every time I stepped on court. "But now I have to be honest with myself. I was not really positive, but now I have to be. I have to congratulate myself and say after that match I don't want to come back in some stage that I don't want to be there." Fognini is married to Flavia Pennetta, who famously won her first Grand Slam singles title at the 2015 U.S. Open at the age of 33 before retiring later that year. However, Fognini said he had no such opportunities as he acknowledged the harsh reality of competing during the sport's golden era when the 'Big Three' of Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic dominated the game. "I was able to play in an era that probably is going to be the best era, forever, in the sport. I played against Roger, against Rafa, against Nole," he said. "Winning a Slam for me was impossible. I have to be honest," he added with a smile. Fognini had harboured hopes of ending his career at next year's Monte Carlo Masters, where he claimed his biggest title in 2019. "My best dream was finishing next year in Monte Carlo. The main goal was that one because I was able to win the tournament," he said. "But that's it, it was not possible. I'm happy the way I say goodbye to the professional tennis career. I did my best." This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
