ATP Tour

Farewell Fabio: Yes, we were entertained

It is the Fognini walk that gets you at first glance. Head held high, shoulders back, chin and chest out, leisurely moving about the court like an alpha lion strolling proudly around his pride. The walk is a stylish mix of both poise and defiance. Therein that walk lies the enigma. Like everything else with Fabio Fognini, it is complicated.

“If you don’t know Fabio very well, you want to strangle him,” laughs Claudio Pistolesi. “But I have known him intimately since he was a boy and I guarantee you he is an incredibly kind and generous person. What some people might call an attitude actually comes from his shyness. And the walk, well, that is very Italian. At least it has style.”

Pistolesi’s description of Fognini correlates with the reports of others that know him well: That Fognini is a very kind, generous and well-mannered gentleman. Wait a minute. Well-mannered? Surely, they cannot be serious? Have they not seen the on-court dramas? Yes, they admit, but like collateral damage for the greater good it all can be explained.

_{^{Fabio Fognini triumphs at the 2019 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images}}

A well-known Italian tennis psychologist who prefers not to be identified says he is using Fabio Fognini as a model case study for achieving high-altitude peak performance. He identifies Fognini as a ‘super sanguine’ personality who is fuelled by a tankful of rage. Sort of a creative genius propelled by a need for constant re-evaluation. On the outside Fognini exhibits a fun, cheeky calmness, full of confidence that borders on nonchalance. However, for Fognini to get to the optimal arousal level, he needs a mix of fun, challenge and opportunity to demonstrate his natural abilities. All good so far.

Hence, when the stars line up and Fognini is pitted against one of the tennis greats on the grandest of stages, the challenge mixed with a big opportunity ignites his rage, which is converted (like uranium to plutonium) into a high-powered energy capable of peak performances. All these places Fognini’s fine motor skills in the sweet spot on the emotional pressure curve. A perfect storm for him to unleash hell on his opponent.

The thrilling come-from-behind thriller victory against Rafael Nadal at the 2015 US Open is Exhibit A. Fognini absolutely relishes playing the villain. Or Exhibit B, the 2010 French Open match against French favorite, Gael Monfils. Fognini yet again rose from the grave from two sets to love down to crush Monfils’s hopes of victory. The match had everything that Fabio thrives off of; wasted opportunities, a jeering crowd, arguments with the chair umpire and a resurrection from the dead by winning 9-7 in the deciding set.

_{^{Fabio Fognini defeats Rafael Nadal at the 2015 US Open. Photo: Elsa/Getty Images}}

A Fabio Fognini tennis match is like watching a tempest in a teacup. One could only imagine what Dr. Jim Loehr would say about Fognini’s ability to effortlessly spin through Loehr’s Anger, Tank, Choke, and Challenge stages. One moment Fognini is sulking by the fence, and the next he is waving his arms majestically to the crowd like Arturo Toscanini conducting an orchestra. A smashed racquet is likely followed by a plea and a prayer to the chair umpire for divine justice. Sinner or saint, rebel or renegade, Fognini provides the audience with a bucket full of emotions that can leave even the most seasoned spectator drained.

There is even something for the serious student of tennis. A deep dive into the average point of a Fognini match demonstrates his ability to combine the deft touch of a magician with a lightning-quick strike of power. A closer examination of the Fognini forehand reveals that it is hit with little bend in the legs, minimal backswing and almost no shoulder or hip rotation. Immediately, your heart goes out for his technical coaches.

His forehand drive looks more like an annoyed swat than a stroke under pressure. Whether it goes in, out or under the net, Fognini looks as if he would just as rather be at home sipping on a Campari aperitif. Fognini was blessed at birth with fast-twitch muscles and an ultra-explosive first step. Knowing that he can reach any ball in the surrounding postal codes might explain Fognini’s failure to move his feet until a crisis emerges. On top of all that, add in the nonchalance of a bored bystander and you get the picture.

_{^{Fabio Fognini in action in Rome. Photo: Andreas Solaro/AFP via Getty Images}}

Like many great performers, Fognini seems to take pleasure in teasing us with his talent, taunting us with his petulance, and then ultimately thrilling us with his bursts of brilliance. Like the flawed hero in a Greek tragedy, Fognini possesses both the heroic traits and obvious weaknesses. Fognini seems to be in a continuous fight against his inner self more than his outward opponents. Still there is a shelf-life for professional tennis player greatness. Only a few get to the curtain call on their terms.

Similar to Pete Sampras’ masterful championship match at the 2002 US Open versus Andre Agassi, the opportunity to say goodbye to tennis after an extraordinary performance at Wimbledon was too good to miss for the Italian. When Fabio Fognini hugged it out with Carlos Alcaraz after their dramatic five-set first-round match, he could finally say goodbye. Fognini finally achieved a separate peace with tennis, finally all the rage was gone. Now, he could exit Centre Court with his head held high — even in defeat. Gone was his prideful stroll, replaced by a man overcome with humility and with a sincere appreciation for the few hours of greatness that he could share on the most majestic of tennis stages.

There will be no encore performance for Fabio Fognini, the former No. 9 player in the PIF ATP Rankings. He finished his race, and he finished well.