Alcaraz Survives Fognini’s Federer Impression In 5-Set Wimbledon Epic

‘Carlos Alcaraz has survived a massive scare on the first day of Wimbledon’ is not a sentence that was in the predicted draft copy on any news desks. The defending champion extended his winning streak to 19 matches after eventually defeating Fabio Fognini 7-5, 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 in four hours and 27 minutes on a baking hot Centre Court.

Fognini, 38, is retiring this season and had lost his last 11 matches coming into this clash with the No. 2 seed. Alcaraz came out looking the part in garb not dissimilar to the great Roger Federer’s whiter than white cardigan range. However, it was Fognini who did a better impression of the Swiss legend with a white headband and a sumptuous service game to start the match.

Fognini Made Alcaraz Look Clumsy At Wimbledon

Three years ago, the outspoken Italian said that Federer was the only player he would pay to watch. While the match wasn’t of the highest quality, the former world number nine’s handiwork and touch was reminiscent of the eight-time Wimbledon champion. It was a very decent tribute act that troubled the usually nimble Next Gen graduate. At times, Alcaraz was almost as clumsy as Federer in his last hurrah here against Hubert Hurkacz in 2021.

Fognini beat Casper Ruud at last year’s Wimbledon and was in no mood to play second fiddle, although he has never been beyond the third round on the lush grass. Centre Court looked naked without line judges, but Fognini’s presence and touch filled the void and jerked the joie de vivre out of Alcaraz’s racket. The five-time major champion was rushed by a man 16 years his senior. Novak Djokovic might have taken notes.

Alcaraz was in sleep mode for most of the match, occasionally coming to life with the sort of brilliance that he so often performs from the cliff edge. Daring goes a long way even in extremis. After saving five break points in the opener, the 22-year-old did enough to seal the first deal with a brilliant lob over his opponent.

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Alcaraz broke in the second and everyone started to make plans for something more interesting instead. The former world No. 9 wasn’t going anywhere, continuing to meddle with the Murcia man’s timing by taking the ball early, showing an array of deft cross court volleys and imposing a Federer-like strut between points.

He took the tie-break 7-5 and the crowd confusion rose as the favorite spluttered forehands long, desperately searching for the escape code like the Lawnmower Man. It was time for Alcaraz to feel the flames in almost 32 degree heat.

Unforced Errors And Double Faults from Alcaraz Against Fognini

The grass looked beautiful but there were 62 unforced errors from the Spaniard. His serve tested the net far too often with nine double faults, but there was a pathway as Fognini started to visibly tire at the end of the third set. Juan Carlos Ferrero smiled for the first time in three hours while his charge let out a guttural roar for a two sets to one lead. The belief that normal service had resumed was daft. The streaky, up and down nature of the encounter continued.

The Spanish inquisition will be interesting tonight as Alcaraz folded from 2-1 up in the fourth to 2-6 with an array of mishits and mechanical failures. He had to field 21 break points and his body language was more Rory McIlroy at the Masters – the 2011 version rather than the 2025 one.

It all came down to a final set shootout after Fognini took a welcome five-minute break off the court. Alcaraz had the advantage of the serve and squeezed every last pip of juice to break his opponent for a 2-0 lead before going through another agonising third game where he managed to pull through for a 3-0 lead. Only then was victory in sight, but nothing was straightforward as a medical incident in the crowd forced a suspension.

Alcaraz’s Five-Set Record Was A Comfort Break In Last Set

Wimbledon does not enforce the ‘heat stress’ 10-minute break on air temperature alone although this was officially the tournament’s hottest ever opening day. This unplanned break in proceedings ran for 17 minutes as Alcaraz helpfully donated a bottle of water to pass on to the distressed spectator. His puppy dog demeanor was back, replacing the hangdog expression earlier.

This new curveball didn’t sway the match as Alcaraz broke again when they restarted and he cleaned up 6-1 despite some more beautifully whipped groundstrokes from the other end. The double Wimbledon champion has a 14-1 record in five sets now.

The post-match embrace was as warm as the Mediterranean and Alcaraz was more interested in pointing towards Fognini’s excellence rather than investing any time with a lap of honor. His court time from the Sinner epic through Queen’s to this latest box set blockbuster could fill a video library.

Alcaraz told me in the press conference afterwards that he was maturing more and taking on the mentality of a champion. “I am getting mature. I know how to deal with situations. Champions always find a way. I am just really proud that I found a way even though Fabio was playing great tennis."

The French Open champion lives to fight another day against British qualifier Oliver Tarvet who is ranked 733. Tarvet will have to forfeit the majority of his $135,000 earnings from reaching the second round because of National Collegiate Athletic Association rules. The 21-year-old completed his third year at the University of San Diego recently.

Alcaraz won’t need three years but could do with another three-day break in Ibiza very soon if he lifts a third consecutive title on July 13. With Taylor Fritz’s match hitting the curfew buffers at two sets all , Alexander Zverev fighting for his life in the dark, and the elimination of Holger Rune and Daniil Medvedev, it was an opening day that delivered real stress for the elite from start to finish.