Fabio Fognini is still pretty angry about getting dropped from Italy’s Davis Cup team back in 2023. And he’s not letting it go anytime soon.
The whole mess started when captain Filippo Volandri cut Fognini from the squad that year. Italy went on to win the Davis Cup that season and again in 2024 and 2025. But instead of moving on, Fognini’s still holding onto this grudge.
When he first got the news, Fognini didn’t hold back on social media.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fabio Fognini | 38 | 608 | 5 - 4 |
He posted a long, frustrated message on X explaining how blindsided he felt.
"On Monday, while I was in Genoa, the captain’s call came to me: suddenly I no longer fit into the plans, without justifiable explanations and in ways that I didn’t agree with, disrespectful of my history and my Italian past, because until lastly I was informed that I would be in the squad and available to take to the field and for this reason I decided to train and play the Challenger to the best of my strength to be ready and available."
That’s a pretty harsh accusation. Fognini basically said he’d been told he was in the squad right up until the last minute.
Volandri fired back with his own explanation. He claimed Fognini wasn’t physically ready to compete at that level.
"In his latest appearances, Fognini has suffered retirements and physical problems. His performance in the last three months did not meet the criteria that, in my opinion, must be met to obtain a call-up to Davis. While I was in New York, I received a phone call from a member of his medical staff who was already telling me that Fabio was in very poor condition."
So the captain’s story was pretty different. He said Fognini’s medical team had already warned him about the player’s condition.
Fognini retired from professional tennis at this year’s Wimbledon Championships. The guy had a solid career with nine singles titles, including the big ATP Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo trophy and an Australian Open doubles title.
His Davis Cup record was actually really impressive too.
He won 22 out of 31 singles matches for Italy over the years. That’s the kind of player who’d expect some respect from his captain.
But apparently, Volandri’s decision really cut deep. Even now, months after retiring, Fognini brought the whole thing up again during a recent TV appearance on the Rai2 program ‘Belve.’
"It wasn’t clear to me why I was excluded. I didn’t have a discussion with anyone; I think that’s the most ridiculous thing. Being a man requires discussion, even if sometimes with differing opinions. Ask Volandri why; that’s how it went, I didn’t accept it and I never will."
He’s clearly still frustrated about not getting a proper explanation or even a face-to-face conversation about the decision.
But here’s where it gets really awkward. Fognini revealed that he actually ran into Volandri at dinner on the very day he announced his retirement at Wimbledon.
And the captain didn’t even congratulate him on his career.
"On the very day I announced my retirement at Wimbledon, I was at dinner and Volandri was at the next table. He said hello but didn’t have the courage to say anything to me, not even a compliment on my career. He didn’t say anything to me."
That’s pretty cold, especially considering Fognini’s long history with the Italian team. Whether you agree with the original decision or not, it seems like basic courtesy to acknowledge someone’s retirement after a successful career.
This whole situation shows how personal these team selections can get. Italy’s been incredibly successful in the Davis Cup recently, so maybe Volandri feels vindicated in his choices. But Fognini clearly feels like he deserved better treatment after all those years representing his country.
