Fabio Fognini finishes third on Italy's 'Dancing with the Stars': "It wasn't just a dance"

Fabio Fognini is going to have to make room in his trophy case. The 38-year-old previously impressed with his fancy feet in a guest spot on Italy's *Dancing with the Stars* last season, but committed full bore as contestant for season 20 of Ballando con le Stelle shortly after hanging up his racquets this summer.

The former Top 10 player played the last match of his career at Wimbledon in July, falling in a five-set first-round thriller against Carlos Alcaraz on Centre Court. And his footwork was almost as good in the ballroom over the last 13 weeks as he partnered with show dance champion Giada Lini.

Read more: Fabio Fognini announces his retirement at Wimbledon after Carlos Alcaraz thriller

The couple earned the highest score in weeks six and seven, and earned a standing ovation for their Michael Jackson-inspired "Smooth Criminal" performance, too, By the end of Saturday's season finale, it was revealed that Fognini and Lini placed third, behind TV and radio hosts Francesca Fialdini and Andrea Delogu.

But in a heartfelt social media post, Fognini wrote that it felt like first.

"It wasn't just dance; it was a journey within myself. I’ve discovered a new Fabio," he wrote. "I’ve taken off the armor and faced challenges that, I swear, at first seemed impossible to overcome.

"I come home with a third place, which, for the emotions I have felt and for the way I feel today, is worth as much as a gold medal."

He also thanked his wife, 2015 US Open champion Flavia Pennetta: "If I jumped into this challenge, it’s only because she believed in it before I did."

Tennis players are no stranger to the celebrity dancing competition, which began with Great Britain's Strictly Come Dancingin 2004 and has spawned spin-offs in 60 countries. Annabell Croft, Martina Hingis and Judy Murray all once competed on Strictly, Martina Navratilova and Monica Seles have starred on the U.S. version over the years. Agnieszka Radwanska competed in the Polish version in 2019, and Andrea Sestini Hlavackova lent her name to the Czech version, StarDance, in 2021.