The tennis world thrives on surprises, doesn’t it? From fiery outbursts on the court to jaw-dropping partnerships, fans are always treated to a roller coaster of drama and excitement. But guess what? The action doesn’t stop when the season does! As players embrace their off-season downtime, the spotlight shifts to their off-court antics—and boy, do they deliver! The latest star to grab everyone’s attention? None other than the ever-entertaining Fabio Fognini! Known for his flair on the tennis court, the Italian player has now swapped his racquet for something completely unexpected—dance moves!

The Italian tennis sensation wrapped up his year after winning the first and the last title of the year at a challenger event in Montemar. He faced quite a rocky season with a win-loss ratio of 35-28 and could not attain much. However, as he now enjoys his break season, Fognini is seemingly keeping the negativities on a backseat and is grooving to music like never before. 

The 37-year-old marked his presence at Ballando con le Stelle, the Italian version of the British show Dancing with the Stars, which started in 2005. The program is crafted in such a way that a group of celebrities from the world of entertainment and sports are paired with professional dancers and learn to perform different types of ballroom dances during the episodes. Fognini did not just participate in the event but depicted his immense skills too. 

The star player was seen dancing to the tune of “Great Balls of Fire” alongside his partner for the evening, Giada Lini. Lini is the wife of Graziano Di Prima, a dancer and choreographer. Fognin, who donned a black outfit for his performance, was seen depicting some spectacular moves as can be seen in the visuals that emerged on the official page of the show. He also expressed his excitement for the upcoming edition of the show. Interestingly, Fognini’s latest stint did not go unnoticed by the tennis community. 

As soon as the clip emerged, several from tennis community started to express their surprise. Joining the fray was none other than German star player Alexander Zverev who lauded his colleague. Taking to Instagram, Zverev shared the video of Fognini dancing and wrote, “This is the single greatest thing I’ve seen this year.” But Fognini’s off-court passion does not stop at dance as he once revealed what intrigues him even more than tennis. 

When Fabio Fognini shared his passion for a sport other than tennis

Fabio Fognini has given a lot to tennis. However, it can be rightly said that while his professional duties can be limited to the tennis courts, his passion for football is equally immense as has been expressed by the Italian star himself. In his contribution post for Behind the Racquet, Fognini once shared how fascinated he is by football while comparing it with tennis. 

Expressing his sentiments, Fognini remarked, “My first passion was football. There were times I rather play football than tennis but it is tough to say that when tennis gave me this life.” Continuing further, he highlighted that tennis is no longer only a sport for him but also his job. “It is difficult because tennis is a job now, not a sport. Football is my favorite sport and I watch as much as I can. It was when I was younger when I decided tennis was for me.” he added. However, he also compared both sports and revealed why he chose tennis as his profession.

“Football was amazing but tennis gave me the responsibility I wanted. If I lose it is on me just like it is if I win,” he said. Now, as the break-season unfolds, it would be interesting to see what else Fabio Fognini has in store for his fans. Will he surprise the tennis community with more such stints? Well, only time will tell.