Fabio Fognini announces retirement

The defeat to Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon may have been Fabio Fognini&#8217s last match. “I think it&#8217s probably the best way to say goodbye to Wimbledon, yes … and maybe even to tennis – he admitted in a press conference -. That&#8217s what I think now. I’m happy, for sure. I have so many emotions going through my head. Yes, the atmosphere out there was incredible. I enjoyed it a lot”.

“Now, of course, there is some bitterness, because I had my chances, if we talk about tennis – added the Ligurian -. At the beginning of the fifth set I was still there. But it’s okay, he is a champion, he won twice here. Right now I think he is probably the best player in the world. He played an incredible final with Jannik a month ago. So all respect to him, yes”.

.

“If I look back and see what I have managed to do in my career, I can only say one word: I am happy – continued the Blue -. Sometimes maybe the court was not perfect, but that is part of the game. I played the sport with a lot of passion, as you can see, as everyone knows. Yes, I was lucky – and unlucky – to play for over 15 years against the Big Three, Andy and 20 other great players, great champions. Now yes, I had the chance to play twice against Carlos and once against Jannik (Sinner, ed.). As I said before, it’s all a bit strange. At the moment it is hard to say anything, because I have so many emotions and images in my head. Maybe in the next few days I will be able to say something more”.

Turning to the knockout with Murciano: “I feel like I played well, right? It was a good match. If we analyze the match, I think I did not deserve to lose the first set. Then I was down one break, and I won the second. He won the third, but I was ahead 2-1 again with break. That was probably the worst game, when I was serving ahead. Then I won the fourth very well. Yes, the beginning of the fifth set was complete crap. I didn’t deserve to be down 4-0 like that. I was 40-15 in the second game and I lost it. Then I was 15-40 and lost it. Again 40-15 and I lost it. I didn’t deserve to be down 4-0. At least 2-2 was in it. But I was playing against Carlos, not against a friend of mine”.

Closing on the standing ovation from the audience: “It was very emotional. I have to be honest, I cried in the locker room. I cried. Because, as I said, I didn’t expect to play five sets against him. I have to be honest. With the way I got here, I had no expectations. Since the year started, after the injury, I’ve been playing really bad. I didn’t win many matches. So I said to myself, ‘Okay, I was seventh out at the beginning here at Wimbledon, I came in last.’ As I said before, there was no better way to play on this court against a great champion, for whom I have so much respect — for him and his team — because I know them very, very well”.