Fabio Fognini joins the Rafa Nadal Academy Slam as the fourth member of Team Murray

28.09.2026

ARN Publishing House

Fabio Fognini will compete at the Rafa Nadal Academy Slam, the doubles exhibition event to be held on Saturday, 3 October at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor (Mallorca) as part of the Academy’s 10th Anniversary celebrations.

The Italian joins Andy Murray, Dominic Thiem, and Marat Safin to complete the team captained by the Briton, who will face Team Rafa, led by Rafa Nadal, in a very special event bringing together some of the biggest names in world tennis.

Fognini was one of the leading figures of Italian tennis of his generation. He reached world No. 9 in the ATP rankings, captured nine singles titles, and achieved his greatest career success in 2019 by winning the Monte-Carlo Masters 1000. Furthermore, he racked up 426 victories on the circuit, including 17 wins against Top 10 players.

His track record also includes major doubles success, having been crowned Australian Open champion in 2015 alongside Simone Bolelli. Additionally, Fognini and Rafa were teammates on the Team Europe side that won the Laver Cup in 2019.

With Fognini, Team Murray is now fully defined with: Andy Murray, Dominic Thiem, Marat Safin, and Fabio Fognini. Facing them will be Team Rafa, currently featuring Rafa Nadal himself and Frenchman Richard Gasquet. The final two members of the team led by Rafa Nadal will be announced in the coming days, completing the eight-player lineup for the exhibition.

The Rafa Nadal Academy Slam will be one of the highlights of the Academy’s tenth-anniversary celebrations. The event will see two teams led by Nadal and Murray face off in an exhibition combining competition, entertainment, and numerous surprises during a day designed to celebrate ten years of Rafa Nadal Academy history.