A shocking incident unfolded on the tennis court when a prominent player reportedly labeled his opponent a “pig.” This occurred following a heated first-round match at the Stuttgart Open between Fabio Fognini and Corentin Moutet.
The veteran Italian player, 38, who received a wildcard entry into the ATP 250 event in Germany but has not recorded a tour-level win this year, appeared visibly frustrated during the contest. At one point, he was seen breaking his racquet over his knee.
Moutet, 26, ultimately won the match in three sets with a score of 6-4, 6-7, 6-3, advancing to face top seed Alexander Zverev in the next round.
After Fognini hit a backhand wide to end the match, Moutet celebrated with a fist pump and pointed to his head.
During the customary handshake at the net, Fognini reportedly held onto Moutet`s hand for a noticeable moment.
As Moutet briefly glanced at him, Fognini maintained a stare and was then heard speaking in French, saying “Regarde-moi, petit cochon!” which translates to “Look at me, you little pig!”
Moutet seemingly disregarded the remark and proceeded to the center of the court to acknowledge the crowd`s applause.
This isn`t the first time Moutet has been involved in a contentious on-court situation; earlier this year, he had a heated verbal spat with Alexander Bublik at the Phoenix Challenger tournament, requiring the umpire to intervene.
Fognini himself has a history of fiery encounters, including notable clashes with Andy Murray. In a memorable incident during a Shanghai match in 2019, Murray reportedly told the expressive Italian to “shut up.”
Fognini confirmed last month in Rome that he plans for this season to be his last on the tour. Reflecting on career highlights, he mentioned his victory over then-world No. 1 Andy Murray in Rome as being particularly special, ranking it among the top three moments of his career.
He commented that he plays with passion, sometimes excessively, but believes the crowd enjoyed watching him defeat top players like Murray, Gael Monfils, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Rome.
