ATP Firsts: Fabio Fognini

Italian Fabio Fognini pulled off one of the upsets of the 2019 ATP Tour season on Saturday, defeating 11-time Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters champion Rafael Nadal in straight sets to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 final.

Last year, Fognini sat down with ATPWorldTour.com to talk about his “ATP Firsts.” 

First pinch-me moment on the ATP World Tour
[In 2006], I was playing qualies at Buenos Aires, and I made it through the main draw and I was playing [Carlos] Moya and I lost 6-4 in the third, and then he won the tournament.

First thing I bought with prize money
I live in Italy, so I bought a house first of all, because I think it’s the most important thing in your life, and after that a car, nothing else… It’s a nice apartment, it’s 125, 130 metres squared.

More ATP Firsts: Donaldson | Schwartzman | M. Zverev

How fast have you gone in your car?
Well, I can’t tell you right now because…

Only up to the speed limit?
Of course.

First autograph/photo I got
When I was young, because I was living close to the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters… with the school, we went there to watch the tournament. I had a picture with [Goran] Ivanisevic.

First pet
I had one when I was really young, when I was 4-15. I had one in Italy and when he died, I was really, really sad. I have a tattoo of him also. When he died, I made one. Good memory. Ralph…. [The tattoo is] on my hip… ‘Never Without You’ or something.

First time I flew first class
I think when I was Top 100. That was my goal. I had never flown business class because I had to do something before flying business class. So I think when I was Top 100, and it was the end of the year, I was No. 95, No. 94 and the next flight I flew to Australia main draw, I flew business… It was nice. Of course it’s a long trip, so it’s a lot of hours inside the plane. So it was nice.

Editor’s Note: This story was originally published on 31 May 2018.