The 36-year-old Italian tennis player Fabio Fognini is one of the most important players in the history of Italian tennis and some of his successes, in some amazing matches and tournaments, are engraved in the history of this sport.
With age passing, as happens to everyone, Fabio too is experiencing a phase of decline and this 2023 has so far been stingy with smiles. Fognini won very few matches on hard courts and few even in the South American tour, a situation that brought Fabio one step away from leaving the Top 100.
The Italian tennis player is currently number 97 in the world rankings and the risk of dropping out of the top 100 is clearer than ever. This week the blue tennis player is facing the Estoril ATP tournament with the aim of making victories and perhaps results that can improve his ranking.
In the first round, the Italian clearly won the derby against Giannessi, defeated with a clear result of 6-1;6-2. The clay season has just begun and Fabio will now play on his favorite surface, the surface where years ago he won the most important tournament of his career, the Masters 1000 in Montecarlo.
There will now be time for the blue for another derby, the challenge against another of our compatriots, Marco Cecchinato.
Fabio Fognini’s hard words in the post match
After the victory over Giannessi Fognini spoke of his critical moment and commented: “I need to play many games and above all victories.
My ranking right now is sh*t and I’m at the worst time of my career. I’m 36 but I feel I still have the level to improve my ranking and I think on a good day I can beat anyone.” The Estoril tournament sees the World Top 5 Casper Ruud as the big favorite for the final victory of the tournament.
In case of victory, Fabio will face the winner between the Spanish Davidovich Fokina or the winner of the match between Van Assche and Sousa in the next round. Fognini, married whit his countrywoman, the former US winner Flavia Pennetta, will try to get his best form playing on his favorite surface, during the clay-season.
