LONDON — Two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz wanted to undergo greater than 4 1/2 hours of back-and-forth shifts in opposition to a much-older and much-less-accomplished Fabio Fognini at Centre Court docket earlier than rising with a 7-5, 6-7 (5), 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 victory within the first spherical of Wimbledon on Monday.
The No. 2-seeded Alcaraz had a a lot harder time than anybody probably anticipated earlier than he managed to increase his present successful streak to a career-best 19 matches.
Contemplate, to start with, that Alcaraz is 22 and already a five-time Grand Slam champion, together with his newest on the French Open three weeks in the past.
Contemplate, too, that Fognini is 38, plans to retire after this season, has by no means been previous the third spherical on the All England Membership in 15 appearances and reached the quarterfinals at any main match simply as soon as— approach again on the 2011 French Open. He additionally entered Monday ranked 138th and with an 0-6 report in 2025.
Oh, after which there’s this: Solely twice has the reigning males’s champion at Wimbledon been overwhelmed within the first spherical the next yr, Lleyton Hewitt in 2003 and Manuel Santana in 1967.
There have been instances Monday when Alcaraz seemed to be one thing lower than his greatest, removed from the shape he displayed throughout his epic five-set, 5 1/2-hour comeback victory over No. 1 Jannik Sinner for the championship at Roland-Garros.
He double-faulted 9 instances. He confronted a hard-to-believe 21 break factors. He made extra unforced errors, 62, than winners, 52.
There was a second the place Alcaraz seemed towards his coach, 2003 French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero, and shouted one thing about how Fognini seemed as if he may hold enjoying till he’s 50.
When Alcaraz pushed a forehand lengthy to cede the fourth set, Fognini nodded towards his visitor field, the place a member of his entourage stood to snap a photograph with a cellphone. Issues have been picture-perfect for Fognini at that second.
However on the outset of the fifth — the primary time the earlier yr’s male champ was pushed that far within the first spherical since Roger Federer in 2010 — Alcaraz recalibrated himself.
When the Spaniard broke to guide 2-0 within the final set with a backhand volley winner, he pointed towards the stands, threw an uppercut and screamed, “Vamos!” Within the subsequent sport, he saved a pair of break factors, earlier than the match was paused for greater than 10 minutes as a result of a spectator felt ailing amid record-breaking excessive temperatures for Day 1 of Wimbledon.
After they resumed, Alcaraz continued to impose himself and outplay Fognini the remainder of the best way.
