Wimbledon 2025 served up more than just tennis on its opening day. London’s sweltering heat turned Centre Court into a furnace, setting a record for the hottest-ever start to the tournament. By midday, the temperature at the All England Club had soared to 29.7°C (85.5°F), according to the Met Office, breaking the previous opening-day high from 2001 and adding a new layer of challenge for players and fans alike. But if the sun was relentless, so were the players. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz found himself in a gritty five-set battle against veteran Fabio Fognini. But while the players were pushing through, the heat caught onto one spectator.

With major upsets already rocking the men’s draw—including the early exits of Daniil Medvedev (5), Holger Rune (9), and Stefanos Tsitsipas (24)—the pressure was on the Spaniard to hold firm. And he did just that, digging deep to seize a 3-0 lead in the deciding set.

As Carlos Alcaraz prepared to continue, chair umpire James Keothavong suddenly announced a temporary suspension of play due to a health and safety incident involving a spectator. The scorching conditions had seemingly taken their toll in the stands, prompting immediate concern.

Alcaraz was quick to react. Noticing the distress, he grabbed a water bottle and rushed toward the affected spectator, drawing a round of applause from the crowd for his thoughtful gesture. A member of the security team followed suit, shielding the fan with an umbrella while others fanned them, trying to provide relief.

After a 15-minute pause, the Spaniard returned to Centre Court and swiftly closed out his opening-round victory at Wimbledon 2025. The 22-year-old sealed the win with a 7-5, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 scoreline, wrapping up a four-and-a-half-hour clash.

The second seed behind Italy’s Jannik Sinner, Alcaraz looked far from his dominant best for most of the match. He struggled to find rhythm on serve and made a string of uncharacteristic errors from the baseline, allowing the 38-year-old Fognini to claw his way back twice and force a deciding set. But when it mattered most, the defending champion rediscovered his firepower and composure to extend his remarkable winning streak to 19 matches.

But Alcaraz’s sportsmanship doesn’t just extend towards the audience. After the match, he praised his 38-year-old opponent for a tough fight.

Carlos Alcaraz honors Fabio Fognini after grueling five-set battle

In what was expected to be Fabio Fognini’s final Wimbledon appearance before retirement, the veteran Italian pushed the reigning champion to his limits. The former top-10 player, who entered the tournament on the back of a 10-match tour-level losing streak, showed flashes of his trademark shotmaking and resilience.

Carlos Alcaraz joined the Centre Court crowd in a standing ovation as the Italian waved goodbye to the Wimbledon stage for the final time. Speaking in his on-court interview, the Spaniard said, “I don’t know why it’s his last Wimbledon, because with the level he has shown, he can still play three or four more years. I have to give him credit for such a great match. Fabio is such a great player; he has shown in his whole career the level he has. I’m just a little bit sad that it’s his last Wimbledon, but happy to have shared the court with him.”

The victory preserved Alcaraz’s flawless first-round record at Grand Slams, now 18-0, and stretched his Wimbledon winning streak to 15 matches. With the Roland Garros title already in the bag, he’s chasing history, aiming to become just the second man after Bjorn Borg to complete back-to-back French Open and Wimbledon titles in consecutive years. Next up for Alcaraz is British qualifier Oliver Tarvet, who impressed on his Grand Slam debut with a straight-sets win over Switzerland’s Leandro Riedi. After a shaky start, can Alcaraz find his rhythm and defend his Wimbledon crown?