Credit: Wimbledon
The scorching heat of the centre court didn't stop Carlos Alcaraz from clinching a hard-fought first-round victory on Day 1 of Wimbledon. Facing Italy’s Fabio Fognini, Alcaraz overcame the tough five-set match. The tension peaked in the fifth set when play was halted after a spectator fell ill, just as Alcaraz had secured a break. Pursuing his third consecutive Wimbledon crown and coming off a successful Roland Garros title defense, the Spaniard showed admirable concern for the fan. The 22-year-old rushed towards the fan and offered his water bottle, which was then handed to her. That spectator turned out to be the mother of Eluned Lewis, who later took to X to thank Alcaraz personally by tagging him in her message.
The post on X by the fan that went viral also received a kind response from the Spaniard. "Thank you @carlosalcaraz for the concern shown to my mum today who was taken ill during your tennis match at Centre Court @Wimbledon today. Unlikely you’ll see this message but I can try! Thank you @BBCSport. Responding to the kind gesture, Carlos replied on X, "You’re very welcome, it was nothing! I hope your mum is doing well. Send her a kiss from me and take good care of her!
Carlos Alcaraz all set to face Oliver Tarvet after knocking out Leandro Riedi
Alcaraz is set to take on Britain’s Oliver Tarvet in the second round. The 22-year-old qualifier defeated Leandro Riedi, setting up a clash with the two-time Wimbledon champion. Alcaraz, who is chasing his sixth title of the season, has already triumphed in Rotterdam, Monte Carlo, Rome, Paris, and at the Queen’s Club Championships, where he secured his fourth career grass-court title by overcoming Jiri Lehecka.
Meanwhile, the Monday match between Carlos and Fabio Fognini was played under extreme heat. It was the hottest-ever opening match in Wimbledon tournament history, with the temperature reaching 32.3 degree. The intense heat pushed a number of players to exit early. By the end of the first round, eight top-10 seeds across the men’s and women’s draws had already been knocked out. Overall, 23 seeded players out of 32 seeds in each draw were eliminated by the conclusion of play on Tuesday.
