“If Roger is healthy and full of confidence he just can do with the ball whatever he wants.” – Italian star, Fabio Fognini said this in 2018 during an interview. The 37-year-old Italian tennis player has been a huge fan of Roger Federer. So, there have been quite a few instances in the past when Fognini was spotted heaping praise on the ‘Swiss Maestro.’ So, considering all these, it’s needless to mention who he keeps ahead among the ‘Big 3’ in the race for the GOAT, but what according to him makes Roger Federer different from others?

If we take a look at the numbers, Fabio Fognini has played 26 matches against the ‘Big 3’! However, interestingly, he has played the least amount of matches against his tennis idol, Roger Federer (4) while he played the most against Rafael Nadal (18). So, Fabio Fognini has been one of those luckiest players who got the chance with all these three! Considering his massive experience in the racquet sport, he was asked to name the best among the ‘Big 3’ during a recent interview with Relevo.

In reply to that question, Fabio Fognini said, “Let’s see. I never won against Nole and Roger. We are talking about three myths, although they are different. Sportingly speaking and as a tennis fan, I am a Federer fan. Without disrespecting the other two, I think that if you ask 95% of people they will say Roger Federer. He was a delight to watch.” For those who are unaware, Fognini won 4 out of his 18 matches against Rafael Nadal.

Talking about Rafael Nadal he added, “Rafa, what can I say about him? He would destroy you physically and psychologically. When I faced him, except in Monte Carlo where I ended up winning, I couldn’t stand up. It always happened. Not counting Monte Carlo – I would have cut off my arms rather than lose – when we played, the next day I was dead, exhausted. It was tremendous.” What did he say about Novak Djokovic, then? Well, while speaking about the Serb, Fabio Fognini revealed, “Djokovic, on the other hand, if he was in good shape, he would steal your time and not let you play.“

However, this isn’t the first time that we have heard of Fabio Fognini putting Roger Federer ahead of the other superstars. He had a dream of playing against his ‘idol’ Roger Federer at the final of the French Open. However, his best record at the major tournament was reaching the QF of the French Open in 2011. In 2022, during an interview with the Gazzetta dello Sport, Fabio Fognini was seen yet again reflecting on his admiration for the Swiss.

He said, “No offense to Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, but I am a big fan of Roger Federer. If I have to buy a ticket, I buy it to see Roger.” Fognini’s love for Federer even got portrayed in his book called ‘My Life Between the Lines.’ Interestingly, in that book, he mentioned how Roger Federer once jokingly praised something about him that has no relation to tennis! What was it, then?

Over the years, Roger Federer and Fabio Fognini managed to build up a strong bond between them. For example, when they met each other at the 2019 Laver Cup, we saw them engaging in a deep conversation with each other. What was their topic of discussion at that time? Was it something related to tennis?

Well, interestingly later on, Fabio Fognini revealed, “At dinner, we spoke a lot about the family life. How to handle children and tennis. He has four and I will soon have two. But I was often told that two children are more than the double than one and many things change. But I may be calmer and even more successful.” They always had fun catching up with each other.

Even in his book, Fabio Fognini mentioned a bit about the funny side of Roger Federer. He highlighted the huge difference between the Roger Federer that the tennis fans see on the court and the one the players see around the Tour. “Roger Federer jokes all the time. ‘How good-looking are you Fabio?’ he mocks me. ‘If only I were as beautiful as you are.’ I’m always surprised by the difference between everyday life Federer and on the court Federer. He is a kind man keen to have a laugh and a joke with everybody.”

Tennis stars never fail to surprise us with their off-court versions, isn’t it? Take for example, we recently saw Fabio Fognini making an appearance on ‘Ballando con le Stelle,’ Italy’s version of the popular dance competition show, ‘Dancing with the Star.’ After seeing Fognini’s incredible performance German stars Alexander Zverev and Boris Becker dropped a very candid reaction. Zverev shared a post on his IG story highlighting the same with the caption, “This is the single greatest thing I’ve seen this year @fabiofogna.” While Becker shared a reel on his IG story with the caption, “Fabio is absolutely killing it.” How much would you rate Fognini’s dancing skills out of 5?