Alcaraz survives scare to battle past veteran Fognini and reach Wimbledon second round
The Spaniard came through 7-5, 6-7 (5), 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 against Fabio Fognini. He’ll face qualifier Oliver Tarvet in the next round
Carlos Alcaraz, Wimbledon, 2025 © Action Plus / Psnewz
An under-par Carlos Alcaraz dug deep into the reserves to overcome an inspired performance from Fabio Fognini, battling past the Italian veteran 7-5, 6-7 (5), 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 to reach the second round of Wimbledon.
The Spaniard avoided the ignominy of losing in the opening round as defending champion, but that often looked far from a certainty in a match across which he struggled to maintain his usual consistent brilliance.
Fognini, on the other hand, was able to rediscover some of his swash-buckling best in a display that evoked memories of the Italian’s prime – and in what is expected to be his final appearance at SW19.
On what is now officially the hottest opening day in Wimbledon history, sweltering conditions on Centre Court likely played their part in an often laboured performance from Alcaraz.
fognini turns back time to produce vintage display
Late breaks in the first and third sets helped the Spaniard to a 2-1 lead as Fognini clinched the second on a gripping tiebreak, during which Alcaraz saved three set points only to succumb to the fourth.
Alcaraz’s frequent dips took their sharpest dive in the fourth set, however, as Fognini maintained a remarkable level to sprint to the fourth and send the contest to a deserved decider.
Any concerns about a seismic upset on a day that has seen several seeds crash out were quickly quelled by Alcaraz, who once again underlined his phenomenal record in five-set matches, upping his level to comfortably take the fifth and send a tennis stalwart out of Wimbledon for the last time.
After the pair embraced at the net, Alcaraz joined the applause from the spectators inside Centre Court in a joint appreciation for the efforts of a popular character in Fognini.
But after a warm farewell for the Italian, it was the two-time defending champion who once again became the focal point of the crowd’s adoration, having extended his winning streak at the grass-court Grand Slam to 15 straight matches.
“First of all, I don’t know why it is Fabio Fognini’s last Wimbledon because the level he has shown shows he can still play for three or four more years, Alcaraz said in his on-court interview.
“Playing on Centre Court for the first match of any tournament is never easy. I’ve been practising pretty well and playing on grass really well, but Wimbledon is special and different. I could feel the difference between Wimbledon and the other tournaments.
“Tomorrow, I will try to improve the things that didn’t work today such as the return and the forehand. Let’s keep enjoying being at Wimbledon as well.”
He will face 21-year-old home hope Oliver Tarvet, who qualified for his Wimbledon debut before earning an excellent and unexpected win over Leandro Riedi, as his bid to win three straight titles at SW19 remains alive.
