Carlos Alcaraz survives major scare in gruelling five-setter with Fabio Fognini

Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz made heavy weather of his opening match at Wimbledon, needing five sets to see off Italian veteran Fabio Fognini on a baking Centre Court.

On the hottest opening day in Wimbledon history with the temperature reaching a sweltering 32 degrees Celsius, Alcaraz was almost caught cold by a 38-year-old who is due to retire at the end of the year.

The second seed eventually came through a marathon encounter 7-5 6-7 (5) 7-5 2-6 6-1 in an energy-sapping four hours and 37 minutes.

Alcaraz said: “To be honest I don’t know why it’s his last Wimbledon, he can still play three or four more years. Unbelievable.”Playing the first match is never easy, I’ve been playing well on grass but Wimbledon is different. I tried to play the best I could but I would say I could be better. It was a great match.”

In the first four sets the Alcaraz serve was misfiring and his forehand was erratic, and the flamboyant Fognini almost took advantage.

The former world number nine was going through his array of flicks and tricks as he enjoyed what was his final appearance in SW19.

He almost embarked on a lap of honour after coming out on top in one mesmerising rally which left Alcaraz, 16 years his junior, leaning on his towel box gasping for breath.

The roar Alcaraz let out when he came from a break down to take the third set illustrated just how much he was being tested.

When Fognini levelled the match for a second time former champion Pat Cash, commentating for the BBC, said he could be witnessing “the biggest upset in Wimbledon history”.

Lleyton Hewitt, in 2003, is the only men’s defending champion to lose in the first round in the Open era.

But Alcaraz avoided joining that exclusive club when he secured an early break in the decider, then saved two break points before a 15-minute delay while a spectator was treated after falling ill in the extreme heat.

Fognini’s moment had passed and Alcaraz maintained his bid to join Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic as the only men to win three successive Wimbledon crowns.

Should he achieve the ‘three-peat’ he would also equal the feat of his hero Rafael Nadal, who won the French Open, Queen’s and Wimbledon titles in 2008.

Alcaraz will face British qualifier Oliver Tarvet in round two and added: “I saw his name when he qualified for the first time, he’s in the second round so he’s at a level. I will have to bring my best tennis to the match.”

There were plenty of shocks on day one with furious ninth seed Daniil Medvedev smashing up his rackets after losing to French journeyman Benjamin Bonzi.

The combustible Russian, who reached the semi-finals last year, tumbled out 7-6 (2) 3-6 7-6 (3) 6-2 in just over three hours.

Eight seed Holger Rune blew a two-set lead as he fell in five to inspired Chilean Nicolas Jarry.

Former world number three Stefanos Tsitsipas is also out after retiring from his match against Valentin Royer.

The Greek, seeded 24th, had treatment on his back in the second set and called it a day while trailing 6-3 6-2, handing Frenchman Royer, the world number 113, a first tour-level win.

Matteo Berrettini was another first-day faller, the 2021 runner-up losing in five sets to Poland’s Kamil Majchrzak.

Fifth seed Taylor Fritz looked on the verge of becoming the most high-profile casualty when he fell two sets down to Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, who hit a Wimbledon record serve of 153mph.

But American Fritz came back to level the match, and was then left frustrated when the officials opted not to finish the match because, at 10.15pm, it was deemed too close to the 11pm curfew imposed by the local council.

Third seed Alexander Zverev will also come back on Tuesday after his match against France’s Arthur Rinderknech was halted at one-set all shortly before 11pm.