A top tennis player was involved in a shocking on-court moment during a recent match when he allegedly insulted his opponent following a defeat. The incident occurred in Stuttgart, at a warm-up event for Wimbledon, between Fabio Fognini and Corentin Moutet.
The veteran Italian player, Fabio Fognini, aged 38, received a wildcard entry into the ATP 250 tournament in Germany. In the first round, he faced the challenging Frenchman Corentin Moutet, 26, who is known for his unconventional and often provocative behaviour on court.
Fognini, who has yet to secure a win on the tour this year, appeared increasingly frustrated throughout the contest. His emotions boiled over at one point, leading him to dramatically snap his racquet over his knee before discarding it.
Ultimately, Moutet emerged victorious after a three-set battle, winning 6-4, 6-7, 6-3. His win secured him a place in the second round, where he was set to play against top seed Alexander Zverev.
After Fognini`s final shot, a backhand, landed wide, Moutet reacted by pumping his fist and pointing towards his head in celebration.
When the players approached the net for the traditional handshake, the interaction was distinctly cold. Fognini held Moutet`s hand for an unusually long time, maintaining a fixed glare in his direction after Moutet offered only a brief look.
During this tense moment, the Italian player was reportedly heard speaking in French, saying “Regarde-moi, petit cochon!” This phrase translates directly to “Look at me, you little pig!”
Moutet reportedly ignored Fognini`s remark and instead turned towards the crowd, acknowledging their applause.
Both players have histories involving heated confrontations on the court. Earlier in the year, Corentin Moutet was involved in a fiery argument with Alexander Bublik at the Phoenix Challenger tournament, which required the chair umpire to step between them. As Bublik was leaving the court, he was heard challenging Moutet to a fight outside.
Fabio Fognini himself is well-known for his passionate and sometimes volatile temperament on court and has previously had notable clashes with British tennis icon Andy Murray. The two players have shared tense moments over the years.
A famous instance occurred during a Shanghai match in 2019 when Murray, clearly frustrated, told the Italian to “shut up.”
Fognini recently confirmed at the Rome tournament last month that 2024 would be his final year competing on the tour. Reflecting on his career highlights, he mentioned his memorable victory against Andy Murray when the Scot was world No. 1 as one of his most special moments, particularly because it happened in Rome.
He commented on his playing style and connection with the crowd: “I live for [those] moments. My character is like that. I play with passion, and sometimes too much. But I think when I was playing my best tennis here, I think the crowd was really happy to see me beating Andy. I beat Gael (Monfils), I beat (Joe-Wilfried) Tsonga, I beat a lot of good players.”
