Fognini's Announcement: "I'm Playing My Last Tournament in Rome"

At 37 years old, Fabio Fognini is currently ranked 107th in the world. The unpredictable Italian player, who received a wild card for the 2025 edition of the Rome Masters 1000, will face Jacob Fearnley in his opening match this year.

Before playing this home match, the 2019 Monte-Carlo champion and former world No. 9 made a major announcement to Sky Sports Italia.

"I'm playing my last tournament in Rome. I want to make more and more room for the younger players, as it should be. I've had a great career, and I’m super happy.

Like everything, there’s a beginning and an end. This is the tournament of my dreams, the event where you always try to play your best, the one where you feel extra pressure.

The match I remember the most is the one against Andy Murray in 2017 (6-2, 6-4, when the Scot was still world No. 1). It’s probably the best match I’ve played in Rome.

In recent years, I’ve realized that tennis is a passion, but above all, it requires a lot of sacrifices. It’s better that it ends now," Fognini explained.

In the coming hours, he will compete in his 18th Rome tournament, nineteen years after his first-round loss to Thomas Johansson in 2006. His best result in the Italian capital was a quarterfinal run in 2018, where he fell to Rafael Nadal (4-6, 6-1, 6-2).