The Italian Open has paid tribute to Fabio Fognini after he announced that this Rome Masters will be his last. The 37-year-old was beaten by British star Jacob Fearnley in the first round of the tournament.
Fognini hinted at his impending retirement by claiming that the latest edition of the Italian Open would be “the last lap”. Before the likes of Jannik Sinner, Matteo Berrettini, and Lorenzo Musetti, Fognini was flying the Italian flag on the ATP Tour. Perhaps unfortunate to play in the era of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray, Fognini won a single Masters 1000 in Monaco and reached a career peak of World No. 9.
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His defeat against Fearnley marked the end of an era. He first played at the Italian Open in 2006. The tournament has now paid tribute to him on social media.
The Italian Open’s X account posted a photo of Fognini waving to fans after the match, and they wrote: “End of an era. One last battle in Rome for Fognini — passion, classe and a whole lot of cuore. A chapter closes, but the legacy lives on. Grazie, Fabio.”
Earlier this week, Fognini suggested that he could be set to end his career soon. He told Tennis Channel: “Since I was a kid I was coming here to say, ‘Oh let’s see, let’s hope to play one day’. And now I’m in the opposite [time of my career]. I think it’s a good time to say goodbye in this beautiful city, special city.
“But yes, I’m here with a smile on my face because I know that I had a really difficult time during my 15, I don’t know, 16, 20 years in Rome and I would like to enjoy the last lap.”
Meanwhile, Fearnley’s excellent form continues. The Briton has risen to No. 57 in the world and will meet Fognini’s fellow Italian Berrettini in the second round.
The 23-year-old said: "It was a tough match. I really had to dig deep in both sets. I knew I had to up my game in order to win. Very happy to get the win. I was telling myself just to stay composed. I kind of expected to get off to a slow start, so just happy to get through."