Italian Fabio Fognini has troubled the greatest of players on a clay court. Fognini has beaten Rafael Nadal twice, and pushed the Spaniard to three sets earlier this month in Rome. Italy's No. 1, though, hasn't let the close call at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia slow him down. The 18th seed is through to the third round at Roland Garros for the second consecutive year. Fognini sat down with ATPWorldTour.com to talk about his "ATP Firsts." First pinch-me moment on the ATP World Tour [In 2006], I was playing qualies at Buenos Aires, and I made it through the main draw and I was playing [Carlos] Moya and I lost 6-4 in the third, and then he won the tournament....
France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert, who competes on the ATP World Tour as both a singles and doubles player, gives ATPWorldTour.com an insight into his life off the court... First moment I realised I loved tennis Actually, it was the first time I had a racquet in my hand. Since I was a kid, I loved it from the very first time. When I was a kid, it’s amazing the pleasure I got from hitting the ball against the wall. I was born with a racquet in my hand and I loved it from the first time. My parents were both tennis coaches. As soon as I could walk, I had the racquet in my hand. First coach and most important lesson...
After navigating his way through a tricky first-round clash against countryman Julien Benneteau 6-4, 7-6(9) on Thursday, World No. 100 Jeremy Chardy took a moment to look back at some notable first time moments in his life with ATPWorldTour.com: First time I realised I loved tennis It was not at the beginning, because at the beginning I preferred to play football rather than tennis and I think it was [when I was] around 14-years-old because I had to decide if I continued to play tennis or football. I was good at both and I decided to play tennis. I think that was the moment. First coach and the most important lesson he taught me The first time I went on...
First tournament of 2018? First final. Navigating his way through a tricky draw at the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp, American Ryan Harrison has impressed at the start of the season with his athletic brand of tennis and the results are showing. He’ll face Nick Kyrgios in the championship match and will look to claim his second ATP World Tour crown following his victory in Memphis (d. Basilashvili) last year. So it’s safe to say that Harrison has started off 2018 with a bang, but where did he truly start off? Let ATPWorldTour.com provide some insights – or rather, let’s let him: First moment I realised I loved tennis I was three years old. I remember going to work with...
Diego Schwartzman has had the best year of his career in 2017. Pick and choose your milestones to celebrate: career-high Emirates ATP Ranking of No. 25; his first Grand Slam quarter-final, at the US Open; and his third ATP World Tour final (Antwerp, l. to Tsonga). In the midst of another possible run, this week at the Rolex Paris Masters, the 5'7” Argentine took time to talk with ATPWorldTour.com about what he bought to celebrate a big win at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and the time he asked his good friend Rafael Nadal literally for the shirt off his back. First pinch-me moment on the ATP World Tour I think when I won my first [ATP] Challenger....