Carlos Alcaraz sets sights on making history with a third consecutive Wimbledon championship victory. Alcaraz Pushes Through Tough Five-Set Battle Against Fognini to Move Ahead in Wimbledon 2024 Opener
Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz returned to Centre Court on Monday and faced a tough test as he overcame both Fabio Fognini and the sweltering London heat in a five-set thriller to move into the second round.
On what turned out to be the hottest opening day in Wimbledon history — with temperatures hitting 31.4°C — Alcaraz had to dig deep against the hard-hitting Fognini, who was competing in his final Wimbledon appearance. In a rollercoaster of a match packed with stunning shot-making, Alcaraz showed his trademark determination to win 7-5, 6-7(5), 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 after four hours and 37 minutes. Fresh from defeating Jannik Sinner in the Roland Garros final, the Spaniard has now improved his record in five-set matches to 14 wins and just one loss.
“I don’t understand why this is his last Wimbledon because based on the level he showed today, he could easily continue playing for another three or four years,” Alcaraz said. “I truly have to applaud him for playing such an outstanding match. Fabio is an outstanding player, and he’s proved his class throughout his career. I do feel a little sad this was his final Wimbledon, but I’m glad I got to share the court with him.”
Alcaraz came into London on an 18-match winning streak — the longest of his career. Aiming to follow in the footsteps of tennis great Björn Borg by winning both Roland Garros and Wimbledon in consecutive years, it was unexpected to see him face such a tough test against the 38-year-old Fognini. The Italian, the third-oldest player in the men’s singles draw, entered the match on a 10-match losing streak at the tour level.
Still, for a while, Carlos Alcaraz found himself in serious trouble on Centre Court.With David Beckham watching from the Royal Box, he rallied from a break down in the third set and eventually edged out the Italian in a hard-fought fifth set. With this hard-earned victory, the World No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings avoided joining a rare and unwanted list — becoming just the third defending champion to lose in the first round after Manuel Santana in 1967 and Lleyton Hewitt in 2003.
“Playing your first match on Centre Court is never easy,” Alcaraz admitted. “I feel confident playing on grass, but Wimbledon brings a completely different atmosphere. I can sense the difference between this and other tournaments. I always try to give my best, but I know I can do even better. I need to keep improving.”
With this win, Alcaraz maintained his perfect first-round record at Grand Slams (18-0) and extended his winning streak at Wimbledon to 15 matches. His next opponent will be British qualifier Oliver Tarvet, who earned his first-ever Grand Slam victory by defeating 21-year-old Swiss player Leandro Riedi 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.
Alcaraz is aiming for his sixth title of the season, which already includes his fifth Grand Slam at Roland Garros and two ATP Masters 1000 titles in Monte Carlo and Rome. Earlier this month, he also captured his second title at the Queen’s Club, adding more momentum to his impressive season.