I have a game that bothers Rafael Nadal a bit: Fabio Fognini

Fabio Fognini recently gave his thoughts on his rivalry with Rafael Nadal, explaining why the Spaniard sometimes finds it difficult to subdue him.

Nadal has played Fognini 17 times in his career, winning 13 of those clashes. But the Italian is one of the few players to have defeated Nadal multiple times on clay; he has three victories over the Mallorcan on his favorite surface.

One of Fabio Fognini's wins against Rafael Nadal came at the 2019 Monte Carlo Masters, where he was close to handing the Spaniard a bagel. During an interview ahead of the 2021 edition of the same tournament, Fognini talked at length about Nadal's claycourt prowess.

According to Fognini, defeating Rafael Nadal requires you to have a 'perfect day' on the court. The Italian did also claim, however, that when he is on his game he can deprive Nadal of time - and thus put him on the backfoot.

"Mentally and physically he destroys you, and to beat him you need to have the perfect day," Fognini said.

"I think I have beaten Rafa because I have a game that bothers him a bit," he added. "Especially when I am well, I have shots that do not give him time."

Fabio Fognini unleashing an off-forehand

Fabio Fognini went on to claim that only Rafael Nadal himself can accurately describe what makes him so tough to beat. In the same breath, however, Fognini lamented the fact that he has been part of one of the strongest eras in tennis history.

"Rafa is Rafa and he could spend a whole day explaining what it means," Fognini said. "I have had a career in which I have met the best in history. When I qualified for the second week of a Grand Slam I was already happy because I was playing Nadal, Djokovic or Federer. Sometimes Murray, sometimes Del Potro. Those who come later will be lucky because in two, three, four years they will not have to compete with them."

Hopefully, I can play Rafael Nadal again at Roland Garros: Fabio Fognini

Rafael Nadal with his 2020 French Open title

During the interview, Fabio Fognini pointed out how Rafael Nadal always plays on Court Philippe Chatrier (center court) because of his sensational record at Roland Garros. Fognini recalled his defeat to Nadal at the 2013 French Open, and expressed his desire to lock horns with the Spaniard once again in Paris.

"He plays (on) central because he has won a million times in Paris," Fognini said. "I played there with him for a year and lost in three hard sets. Hopefully I can play again because I always want to play with the best in the best scenarios for them. That would mean I'm in a good round."