(Video) Carlos Alcaraz Joins the Applause for Fabio Fognini After his Incredible Performance in his Last Wimbledon

Carlos Alcaraz needed five hours to put away Fabio Fognini in the Wimbledon opening round.

(Video) Carlos Alcaraz Joins the Applause for Fabio Fognini After his Incredible Performance in his Last Wimbledon

Carlos Alcaraz and Fabio Fognini (via Wimbledon)

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Carlos Alcaraz survived an almighty scare at Wimbledon to register his 15th straight win at the All England Club. The Spaniard edged Fabio Fognini 7-5, 6-7, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 to advance to the second round at Wimbledon.

After the match, the whole center court stood up and applauded Fognini as he was set to leave the court. Alcaraz was seen heading the applause after their battle.

Fognini has suggested that this could be his last Wimbledon. If that is the case, he couldn’t have dreamed of a better way to finish his career on the lawns of SW19.

Fognini has delivered some great heights when Italian tennis wasn’t as high as it is today. He battled competitively against the top players, especially against Rafael Nadal. He has beaten the elder Spaniard famously at the US Open 2015 after coming back from two sets down.

How Carlos Alcaraz edged past Fabio Fognini

Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz returned to Centre Court for the first time since last year’s final but wasn’t at his sharpest early on. In the opening set, he saved all five break points and broke Fabio Fognini at 5-5 with a clever lob that gave him the edge. Though he claimed the first set, the World No.2 struggled to maintain momentum in the second.

Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz (via Queen’s Club)

His level dropped in the second set, where he hit 20 unforced errors and only 13 winners. Fognini took advantage and eventually claimed the tiebreak on his fourth set point after Alcaraz sent a forehand wide. The third set provided plenty of drama, including long rallies and diving shots. Fognini thrilled the crowd with a spectacular point to earn a break chance at 3-5.

The Italian used aggressive baseline play and net approaches to frustrate the Spaniard. Even after a high-quality exchange and overhead finish, Fognini broke back to level the third set. But Alcaraz stayed focused and broke again at a crucial moment, taking the third set with a late push.

Fognini came out strong in the fourth set, hitting 14 winners and using his flat backhand effectively. He forced a deciding set in front of an excited crowd. Despite his history of fifth-set comebacks, including one against Rafael Nadal, Fognini couldn’t sustain the pressure. Alcaraz raised his game and pulled away to secure the win in the final set.

Carlos Alcaraz blasts his performance against Fabio Fognini

World No.2 Carlos Alcaraz gave a candid review of his performance after a tough five-set victory over Fabio Fognini in the first round at Wimbledon. The defending champion needed four hours and 27 minutes to come through 7-5, 6-7(5), 7-5, 2-6, 6-1. The match proved far more difficult than many expected, with Fognini pushing him to the limit.

Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/Carlos Alcaraz Brasil)

The early sets were tightly contested, with Alcaraz struggling to find his best form. Fognini, playing some of his finest tennis in years, took full advantage. He dominated the fourth set, not facing a single break point, and forced the match into a deciding fifth set. The World No.2 then raised his level, quickly building a lead and finishing strong after a short delay caused by a medical issue in the crowd.

Alcaraz’s frustration was visible during the second-set tiebreak, where he was overheard saying, “I can’t serve and I can’t return. Shameful.” Despite the self-criticism, the win allowed him to maintain his perfect first-round record at Grand Slams. His five-set match record now stands at an outstanding 14-1.

Fognini, who is retiring at the end of this season, was warmly applauded in what was his final Wimbledon appearance. The 38-year-old, once ranked world No. 9, was competing at the event for the 15th time. Meanwhile, Alcaraz extended his winning streak to 19 matches, with recent titles in Rome, Paris, and Queen’s Club adding to his momentum.