Fognini Stuns Centre Court as Alcaraz Escapes Five-Set Wimbledon Thriller
Let me tell you — if you didn’t catch Carlos Alcaraz’s opening match at Wimbledon 2025, you missed an instant classic. The defending champion, fresh off an 18-match winning streak and a title at Queen’s Club, nearly bowed out in the first round — all thanks to the evergreen Italian, Fabio Fognini. Yes, 38 years old, ranked 138 in the world, and playing what might be his final Wimbledon... and he almost took down the tournament favorite. The tension? Unreal.
It started off with Alcaraz grinding out the first set 7-5. You could tell from the beginning, though, that something was a little off. Fognini wasn’t there to be a stepping stone. He was sharp, mixing flair with precision — forehand winners, elegant volleys, and even a couple of tweeners for good measure. The man was enjoying himself, and Centre Court fed off his energy.
Alcaraz, on the other hand, looked tight. The swagger from Paris and Queen’s Club? Missing. He made 36 unforced errors across the first two sets. That’s not the Alcaraz we’re used to. And when Fognini took the second set in a tiebreak — the crowd erupted. It was one of those “wait, is this really happening?” moments.
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The third set? Another battle. Long rallies, momentum shifts, emotional outbursts. Alcaraz scraped through, barely, 7-5. But Fognini wasn’t done. Not even close. He stormed through the fourth 6-2, playing like he was 28, not 38. I mean, at one point, he had Alcaraz chasing shadows while he invited the crowd to take pictures of him lying on the court. Iconic.
And then came the fifth. That’s when Alcaraz’s championship grit finally showed up. He found the extra gear. He locked in. Fognini, as brilliant as he’d been, couldn’t keep up with the relentless pace. The Spaniard pulled ahead, and finally, after nearly four hours, sealed it.
Final score: 7-5, 6-7(5), 7-5, 2-6, 6-3. Five grueling sets of pure tennis theater.
Credit where it's due — this was supposed to be a routine win for Alcaraz, but it turned into a match that reminded us all why we love Wimbledon. Fognini, in what might be his final bow on the lawns of SW19, gave us a show for the ages. He didn’t win, but man, he walked off that court a legend. And Alcaraz? He survived. Just barely. But sometimes, surviving is what champions do.
What a match. What a moment.
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