by It is doubtful that Carlos Alcaraz has to be told. If the 22-year-old Spaniard, who is temporarily fascinating, he wants to claim his third Wimbledon title in a row, he has to play damn eyesight better than here on the first day. For tennis’ hottest property, this was a stuttering of a start.
At the tie ceremony last Friday, the cassettes were numerous when the wild old Fox Fox Fabio Fognini was selected as the defending champion. The Maverick of Old School Maverick is on tour in his last months and seemed to have a routine conquest of the first round for Alcaraz at the age of 38, even on an 18-match victory strip after his French open triumph against Jannik Sünd. But the inspired Italian blossomed with big games here at a final moment and carried out the 15,000 present with a triple arrogance, even if he was neglected in the end.
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Ultimately, Alcaraz prevailed in five fascinating sentences, which over a 7-5, 6-7 (5), 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 Torine, over four and a half hours, on the hottest opening day in the history of Wimbledon. New knights of the Reich Gareth Southgate and David Beckham had their reasonable proportion of non -convincing victories in England colors and saw another one who was sitting in the first row of the Royal Box.
Carlos Alcaraz survived a great fear of winning an epic with five sets in the first round of Wimbledon (Getty Images)
“I don’t know why it is his last Wimbledon, the level we have just seen … He was able to play for another four years,” said Alcaraz about his opponent afterwards. “He is a great player who has talent he has … I’m just a little sad that it is his last Wimbledon. I am happy to have shared the place with him.
“It’s never easy, I practiced very well. I could feel the difference between Wimbledon and the other tournaments. I would say I can be better … I have to improve.”
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The second seed now faces the British qualification game Oliver Tarvet, World No. 733, in a dream encounter for College player at the University of San Diego in the second round on Wednesday. And frankly, Alcaraz has to significantly improve a player on a great run in the grass.
To say Alcaraz started his three-gate Quest-as he started the center in a flawless Roger Federer-like white cardigan, it would be an understatement. Fognini, a former top 10 player who was now classified at 138, saw at the beginning of five Breakpoint chances, in a first set in which Alcaraz found no rhythm at all on his normally strong forehand.
But while Alcaraz ‘casual number of errors up to 5-5, 16, he found his brand until the end of the set. Alcaraz lured in his 38-year-old opponent with a drop shot at the break point and almost cruel with a volleye with a volley to seal a break of the service. A Quickfire Hold to Love followed and set the bikes in motion.
Fognini, a colorful, but often controversial character, has had a fairly Tyridian relationship with Wimbledon since his debut here in 2008. In 14 attempts he has never went beyond the third round and has never been over the desired “bomb” in 2019 and reduced in 2019 in the “damage of the process” in the “damage to the process”.
Fabio Fognini played an inspired tennis against Alcaraz on the Center Court (Getty Images)
Sir Gareth Southgate and Sir David Beckham watched the Royal Box (Getty Images)
The Italian apologized quickly and was punished with a fine of 21,000 pounds, but it was believed that the suits in the All England Club will not be sad if he retired later this year. Even if, like Monday, he is able to stroke genius in court.
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The Italian fought admirable here and ensured an entertaining opening salvo at the Center Court. While Alcaraz ‘usual explosiveness left him-he was irregularly inconsistent-whipped Fognini and damaged his way to a second set. Then Alcaraz wished and although Fognini spurned three target points, the Spaniard went incomprehensibly with a routine forehand shot 6: 5.
Fognini with an ironic smile was as stunned as everyone else.
However, the third set was the highlight of this game. When Alcaraz served at 5-3, Fognini won the point of the game at Deice and hit an unorthodox blow when he turned backwards after twisting with a backhand volley winner. Both men had bowed to exhaustion in the melody of Roars in the stands. Alcaraz went on the forehand to give a break.
But exactly then, three hours later, Alcaraz falsified in action. Alcaraz finally found its reach and secured the third set into the net with a trademark in the forehand, and Fognini hit his pass on the net. A concentrated fist from Alcaraz radiated relief on the net.
Alcaraz survived a great fear of the progression of the second round (Getty Images)
Now, now Alcaraz would go to victory? Apparently not. Fognini found a second wind and rightly campaigned for two breaks in the fourth set when the border of Alcaraz imploded. This was the world No. 2 in its flat, short adrenaline and ride. His Wimbledon hope to hang on a thread.
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Only twice in the history of the men’s lleyton Hewitt in 2003 and Manuel Santana in 1967-Hat the defending champion lost in the first round in Wimbledon.
Alcaraz, as he does in clutch moments so often, drastically started. He secured an early break in the fifth and after a 15 -minute interruption for a viewer who got sick on the stands – a double separation when Fognini faded and pending.
At the end of a game that only went back to sinners for 52 minutes behind his Paris epic, Alcaraz emerge the winner. Fognini shared in the viewer of the crowd when he left this phase for the last time. Alcaraz left the Center Court and humbly pointed to his cramping opponent, a relieved man.
