Fabio Fognini adamant on not pushing his son towards tennis, gives his reasons

Fabio Fognini rose to the all-time highest ranking of World No.9 in the ATP singles rankings in 2019. However, since then, it has been a downward trail for the Italian tennis professional. He is currently ranked as No.86 in the world.

He had some very good days and some very bad days. He was plagued with injuries and sometimes had to miss out important tournaments. But this long career has taught the 35-year old many things. In a recent interview, he reflects upon his long career and the life he led in his pursuit of excellence in the sport.

“It’s a beautiful life, but it’s also difficult. I’ve always said it, even though it may sound bad: I hope my son doesn’t play tennis. Because I know what I did, the sacrifices my dad made… not that I’m not willing to make them for my children, God forbid, but at the same time it’s hard, because if you want to try to excel, in our sport you have to put a lot of dedication,” Fabio Fognini said.

“Maybe it’s an adjective that may seem strong: “hard” is waking up at 4 in the morning and going to work. Ours is a very beautiful life, but there are a thousand difficulties. Being alone, away from home and friends, travel, tiredness, time differences: there are so many moments that enthusiasts don’t see. Those who are close to us know it, those who follow us, how hard it is. And you have to get used to these things since you were little,” he continued.

Keep Exploring: Belinda Bencic praises Roger Federer’s acting skills believing he will feature in a movie soon

Fabio Fognini’s poor form has got him into trouble

The Italian has been performing underwhelmingly for quite some time. He has not been able to reach the heights of the 2019 season when he won the Monte-Carlo Masters tournament. He had defeated Dusan Lajovic in the final and Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals. This was the year he breached into the Top 10 in the ATP singles rankings.

But since then, Fabio Fognini is struggling big time to be able to stay competitive on the tour. He was knocked out in the first rounds of the Australian Open, Indian Wells Open and Miami Open 2023. These string of poor performances has made him target of the fans.

When he lost to Thanasi Kokkinakis at the Melbourne Park this year, many tennis fans suspected that he tanked the match and even slammed him for that. He has decided to withdraw from the Monte-Carlo Masters tournament.

In case you missed it:

• Expectant Naomi Osaka hints at a ‘Unique’ baby name as she talks about her pregnancy cravings
• “Ken loving the women in his life well,” Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian joins the new Barbie movie bandwagon

Stay Updated!

Join our newsletter to receive exclusive updates and curated insights directly to your inbox.

Subscribe NOW