Fabio Fognini is one of the most talented players on the ATP Tour. His baseline shots are not only powerful, they are also often unreadable. But, at the age of 33, the Italian’s skills and game were in need of new guidance, and when better than the pre-season to form a new team that can help him continue progressing?
What is Fognini’s plan? The starting point of the process was to build a new team with former World No. 8 Alberto Mancini and fitness coach Alejandro Lacour.
“The opportunity came up after his manager, Ugo Colombini, contacted me. He told me that Fabio was looking for a new team and my name came up as the first choice,” Mancini told ATPTour.com.
What is the most appealing thing about working with the No. 17 player in the FedEx ATP Rankings?
“His tennis, his talent, his natural ability... and he told me how excited and committed he is right now,” Mancini said. “He wants to really hit the final years of his career hard. He’s motivated and wants to aim high.”
Mancini has previously coached other top players including Argentine Guillermo Coria, Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas — his last pupil — and Ecuadorian Nicolás Lapentti. This new opportunity has come at a special time, after several months without competition that forced everyone to rethink their plans and goals.
“The pandemic gave us time to reconsider and put ourselves in a different place. I think Fabio realised that he still has a lot to give. If he can maintain a level of fitness throughout the year that gives him peace of mind, with his game he can aim high, and he wants to,” Mancini explained. “Fognini is not working to stay on Tour and just make it quietly through his final years... He’s motivated to aim high”.
Mancini has no doubt about his new player’s strengths, saying, “[He has] great vision, he’s very fast... that ability to read the game and the opponent is important. Then he plays aggressive tennis. When he’s playing well, he’s a player who, although he’s not ‘super powerful’, he generates a lot of ball speed and he breaks his opponent’s rhythm."
Physical fitness will be a priority for Fognini.
“You have to be consistent throughout the year in competition [and] avoid spikes, as that is what can lead to some injuries,” Mancini said. “That’s why, at this point of his career, it’s essential to be in peak physical condition. That’s why we’re working very hard to for him to reach a high level and maintain it. Then he can avoid injuries.
“Also, Fognini isn’t a player who’ll be there for hours and hours. He’d rather spend quality [practice] time than quantity… We have to keep him motivated.”
Interestingly, neither the player or his team have set out specific goals for 2021. “We prefer to take things day by day, to try and feel better and stronger every day. He’s just had an ankle operation and we’re focussing on that, making sure it feels good so that he can start to progress.”
The Nitto ATP Finals will take place in Turin for the first time next year. Could this provide extra motivation for Fognini?
“Without a doubt. His desire is to stay at that level and feel that, if he’s well, he can compete on par with that group of players,” Mancini said.
“We haven’t set Turin as a goal, but it undoubtedly must be in his mind. We’re taking it step by step... We’ve only just started and it’s coming along nicely.”
Mancini will travel around 20 to 25 weeks per year. The rest of the time a second coach, fellow Argentine German Gaich, will accompany Fognini. Mancini doesn’t want to get ahead of himself, but his words carry great promise.
“[Fabio is] a player who can compete on par with anyone and that makes him a player you can aim high with,” Mancini said. “We can face anyone on any surface… It’s a wonderful challenge and we’ll see where it takes us.”
