Alcaraz Survives Fognini’s Fuego in Wimbledon Opener

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

World No. 2 ranked Carlos Alcaraz escaped Fabio Fognini’s tough challenge in five grueling sets- 7.5, 6.7, 7.5, 2.6, 6.1- to open his Wimbledon title defense with a win on June 30, 2025, at the Centre Court in London.

Exactly 30 days since pulling off an insane come-from-behind grand finals win that stunned Jannik Sinner in the championship match of the French Open, it seemed like Alcaraz was still on cloud nine after etching their names in the history books in the longest-recorded Grand Slam finals in the open era.

Alcaraz didn’t look as fluid as he was during the early phase on clay, and commentators were quick to point out that the switch from a fast-paced bounce to a more controlled environment on grass maybe a reason for his slow start.

The Spanish sensation had to dig deep and claw his way back to take the first set, erasing a hat trick of game points for Fognini that would’ve flipped the script of the game.

Just when Alcaraz thought that he already settled down in the match, Fognini showed he had enough gas left in the tank and out-pointed the defending champion during their long baseline rally exchanges.

Fognini made a crucial adjustment that helped him change the complexion of the match, and that was to lessen his top spin for a flat stroke forehand approach.

On the grass surface, heavy loads of top spin wouldn’t bite hard, but a pure power from a flat hit would make the ball bounce faster.

Traditional, yes, but Fognini went back to basics and unloaded a barrage of flat-stroke power shots that caught Alcaraz off guard.

Both players would trade set wins up to the fourth, forcing a do-or-die fifth set that put the whole crowd on their feet.

In the time that a turbo button had to be turned on in an instant, Alcaraz stepped up and concluded the game with an anticlimactic ending when he bullied Fognini in the fifth and final frame, 6-1.

Alcaraz kicked off the fifth with back-to-back break points, backstopped by an insane winning point streak of 12 down-the-line markers, his best scoring set of the first-round encounter.

Fognini would eventually fold in the match as he turned from an energetic shot-maker to an exhausted player who dwelt on the back foot for the majority of the baseline exchanges.

“I can feel the difference between Wimbledon and the other tournaments. I just try to play the best I could, but I would say it could be better. I have to improve,” said Alcaraz after the hard-fought win.