Fognini bids farewell to tennis: 'It was a beautiful ride'

Fabio Fognini's glossy eyes and emotion say more than the words he heard in the press conference just concluded at Wimbledon: the Italian tennis player returned here, where he played one of the most beautiful matches of his career, bowing out to Carlos Alcaraz only in the fifth set, to announce his farewell to tennis. "It has been a beautiful ride, 20 years on the circuit, I have been lucky enough to play with the strongest in history - Djokovic, Federer, Nadal - and with the two strongest in the history that is being written. I will miss the competition, a little less the routine, but I will be available to those who want to listen to advice," Fognini said, adding that the intention was to make it to the next tournament in Monte Carlo, to which he has fond memories of his journey and where he won the title in 2019. But he decided to go back to Wimbledon and say goodbye to everyone because that first round match with Alcaraz left its mark: after the injuries and bad results of last season "I couldn't ask for a better exit, it was a defeat-victory that I have never lived so intensely. It is worth more than any success or defeat, on this court and in front of my family'. Now life off the circuit begins: "I'm here to follow Flavio and cheer on the centre court," he said with reference to Cobolli, whose manager he already is, although he specifies that he wants to enjoy the summer and then think more fully about what he will do. There was no lack of reference to his turbulent character: 'Tennis has given me everything. I was that rebellious and sensitive boy who tried hard: I hope to be remembered for that and not for anything else, which is part of the game'.