Wimbledon, Fognini almost gets the feat with Alcaraz in the fifth set

No one, really no one, could have ever imagined what happened on centre court at Wimbledon, on the first day of the tournament: Fabio Fognini kept the world number 2 and reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz on court for almost four hours, who in the end prevailed only in the fifth set, 7-5, 6-7, 7-5, 2-6, 6-1.

Five sets of excellent quality, with plays and flashes that we will see a thousand times in the videos, the talent of both enhanced to the maximum by the English grass. As if there were not a 16 year age difference and 136 places in the rankings between the two. As if the Italian, at 38 years old, was not at the end of a career that perhaps has given him little (compared to the game he is able to express), but at the level of the Spaniard, who is at the peak of his own. Alcaraz, after the fourth set lost 6-2, threw up his arms looking at his team, helpless after the Italian's net closures, the deep responses that did not allow him to press from the baseline, the short balls reached and closed by Fognini with brilliant touches, the winners on the run, disconcerting for the apparent ease of execution. The Spaniard's exultation during the match made it clear how unexpectedly at risk he felt on a day that saw the defeat of Rune (beaten by Jarry) and Medvedev (by Bonzi).

For Fognini, an exit from the scene (it is his last participation in Wimbledon) that will be remembered by those who love tennis, as well as by the public at the center, repeatedly standing to celebrate his prowess. The applause of Alcaraz, at the center of the court at the end of the match, the final seal.