Fabio Fognini snaps at reporter after wild spat nearly turns physical

Fabio Fognini took his frustration out on a journalist after he needed to be separated from an Italian rival when their nasty feud erupted.

Come on fellas, this is tennis, not the WWE.

Fabio Fognini wasn’t prepared to talk about things after he and Salvatore Caruso traded angry words at the end of their incredible five-set thriller as the battle between the Italians turned nasty.

Fognini came back from 1-5 down in the fifth set tiebreak to claim it 14-12 and bring the three hour and 56-minute war to an end as he advanced to the third round of the Australian Open.

The fifth set alone went for 85 minutes and there was no love lost between the pair after Fognini celebrated his 4-6 6-2 2-6 6-3 7-6 victory.

They argued with each other at the net and even after Caruso had taken his seat, Fognini went over and continued berate his countryman.

The players wagged their fingers and gestured angrily at each other as their argument lasted for several minutes.

The two had to be physically separated by the supervisor as Caruso collected his gear and made his way off the court, tensions threatening to boil over in a feud that stunned the tennis world.

Nothing good comes after a finger wag.

Are you talking to me?

Asked about the stoush in his post-match press conference, Fognini wasn’t willing to kiss and tell.

“It’s not important for me. We are good friends and … the things that happen on court, for me, stay on court,” Fognini said.

“I have nothing to say about that question anymore.”

Pressed by the same journalist on how he thought he handled the situation, Fognini bristled.

“I just told you. I mean I am really happy of course because I think I was not playing my best tennis today,” he said.

“I had more chances than him in the fifth but that’s the sport. I was lucky too.

“It’s not important what you’re asking me because this kind of thing happens.”

Fognini has a history of temper tantrums but he cut the journalist off when asked about his reputation as one of the villains on tour.

“Do you understand my words or not?” Fognini said. “So can you please change questions.

“Next question, thankyou.”

Come on fellas, this is tennis, not the WWE.

Winning gracefully isn’t Fabio Fognini’s thing.

According to tennis journalist Luca Fiorino, Caruso was upset when Fognini, allegedly unprovoked, called him “lucky” — though with an expletive or two thrown in.

“Fognini: ‘You were lucky (in Italian he used a colourful expression)! Apologise to me’ referring to some balls on the line,” Fiorino tweeted.

“Caruso: ‘What are you saying? I never said a word during all the match. I just didn’t expect it from you’.”

Twitter fan Stefano Berlincioni backed up that version of events.

“Caruso said to Fabio that he didn't say a word all match long,” he tweeted. “Fabio replied ‘Can’t I say that you were being f***ing lucky?’

“Was mostly about that, Salvo was disappointed that Fabio kept saying during match he was so lucky.

“Salvo went away saying, ‘I don’t expect that from you’.”

A full transcript of the clash was later posted on social media.

Some juicy lines in this.