The day after retirement is usually very difficult for high-performance athletes because they have to forego the demands and entertainment opportunities of their job. However, e.g Fabio Fogninithe outstanding Italian tennis player, remembered as the ATP champion in Buenos Aires, was not like that. The 38-year-old former player announced his retirement this year and began a successful career as a competitive dancer. dancing with the stars (RAI) in Italy, where He reached the final and surprised the entire audience with his ease in dancing.
In his final talk on the program, Fognini left the entire audience speechless with a magnificent performance to the rhythm of a Michael Jackson song. The athlete showed great skill in imitating the difficult steps of the King of Pop, which is why he received a high score from the jury and reached the final stage of the competition.
“Yes, until the end! This journey is coming to an end and looking back, I never thought I would go this far or have this much fun.. I owe the fact that I am here to Giada and everyone who supported me: I owe this success to you. Now I’m set for Saturday. It won’t be easy, but I promise you that we will do our best,” said the Italian on his social networks.
Before Fognini shone on the courts alongside other celebrities, he left behind a memorable tennis legacy. He retired from professional tennis in July this year at the age of 38, after a career marred by injuries and multiple trophies.
Her farewell took place in first round of Wimbledon 2025 against Carlos Alcarazat Central Court, where he lost in five sets (7-5, 6-7(5), 7-5, 2-6, 6-1) after more than four and a half hours of play. Fognini played at a high level and pushed the defending champions to their limits. This earned him a standing ovation from the audience for his talent and effort.
The Italian tennis player achieved 9 ATP titles in singles and 4 in doublesHis biggest success was the Monte Carlo Masters 1000 in 2019, where he defeated Rafael Nadal in the semifinals and Dušan Lajović in the final.
He won his first ATP 500 in 2013 in Buenos Aires and left a great image in Argentina as the crowd returned their love every time the athlete took the court. In the same year he won tournaments such as Stuttgart and Hamburg, making him one of the best clay court players of his time.
He reached the 9th place in the world rankings in 2019 and 7th in doubles in 2015. He surpassed 400 ATP victories and became the Italian with the most wins on the circuit. On the clay courts he achieved memorable triumphs against the likes of Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic. Achieved awards higher than 19 million dollars in his career before his retirement this year.
Fognini showed that despite the sadness of giving up the sport to which he had dedicated his days, There is life after retirement. The Italian is happy and stands out as a dancer on Italian television, in a field that few imagined for his future. This time he is one step away from making history again Not on a tennis court, but on a dance floor.
About The Author
