Alcaraz Survives Five-Set Scare Amid Wimbledon Heatwave, Medvedev, Tsitsipas Exit

Carlos Alcaraz survived a grueling five-set match against veteran Fabio Fognini in the hottest opening day in Wimbledon history, with temperatures reaching 32 degrees Celsius. Despite an inconsistent performance marked by 62 unforced errors and a struggling serve, Alcaraz managed to win 7-5, 6-7, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 after four hours and 37 minutes on Centre Court, maintaining his perfect 18-0 record in Grand Slam first-round matches. Fognini, who is playing his final season and has struggled this year, pushed the defending champion to the brink, nearly causing one of the biggest upsets in Wimbledon history. The match was interrupted briefly when a spectator collapsed due to the heat, highlighting the challenging conditions. Alcaraz expressed admiration for Fognini's enduring skill and acknowledged the difficulty of the first-round match at Wimbledon compared to other grass-court events. Meanwhile, other top seeds like Daniil Medvedev and Holger Rune suffered early exits, underscoring the tournament's unpredictability amid extreme heat.