London, July 1: Defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz battled his way into the second round after a tense five-set thriller against Italian veteran Fabio Fognini. But the spotlight also shone on two major upsets, with ninth seed Daniil Medvedev and 24th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas both crashing out on a dramatic opening day.Alcaraz, the reigning champion, was pushed to the limit by Fognini in a match filled with momentum shifts and intense rallies. The contest was momentarily halted due to a medical emergency in the stands, but Alcaraz regained his composure and sealed the final set in dominant fashion. The final scoreline read 7-5, 6-7, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1, in favour of the Spaniard, who will now look to build momentum in his title defence.
Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev, a two-time Wimbledon semifinalist and former world No. 1, suffered a stunning first-round defeat to unseeded Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi, ranked No. 64 in the world. Bonzi played with fearless aggression, winning key points in two tie-breaks and outlasting Medvedev in four sets: 7-6(2), 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-2. It marked Medvedev’s first-ever loss in a Wimbledon opener, and Bonzi celebrated the biggest win of his career by hugging his support team courtside.
Adding to the day’s surprises, Stefanos Tsitsipas was forced to retire mid-match due to injury. The Greek player was already two sets down (6-3, 6-2) to French qualifier Valentin Royer when he called for a medical timeout. After a brief discussion with coach Goran Ivanisevic and the physio, Tsitsipas signaled to the umpire that he could no longer continue.
The early exits of Medvedev and Tsitsipas have blown the men’s draw wide open, offering new opportunities for rising stars and underdogs. For Alcaraz, the escape in round one may serve as a wake-up call as he continues his campaign to defend the Wimbledon crown.