Who could have thought that the defending champion would have to steal victory from the jaws of defeat against a 38-year-old in the first round of the 2025 Wimbledon? Defying all the odds against someone like Carlos Alcaraz, Italy’s Fabio Fognini forced a five-setter to decide the ultimate winner in the first-round match. Alcaraz had to earn each of his points against free-hitting Fognini. It took 4 hours and 37 minutes to bring an end to this thrilling battle at 7-5,6(5)-7,7-5,2-6,6-1 in favor of the Spaniard. With this win, Alcaraz has now also become one of the four players in the Open Era to win each of his first eighteen opening Men’s singles matches at Grand Slam events, along with the likes of tennis greats like Arthur Ashe, Bjorn Borg, and Rafael Nadal. But on the other side, it’s yet another missed opportunity for Fognini!
Fabio Fognini’s best record at the majors came in 2011 when he reached the QF of the French Open. Although he has reached the third round of the Wimbledon championships seven times in his career, he has never managed to reach the fourth round. Having started his professional career in 2004, Fogini has already hinted at his retirement during the 2025 Italian Open. He had then said, “I think it’s a good time to say goodbye in this beautiful city, special city (Rome). But yes, I’m here with a smile on my face because I know that I had a really difficult time during my 15, I don’t know, 16, 20 years in Rome and I would like to enjoy the last lap.”
He faced a defeat in the first round of the 2025 Italian Open at the hands of the Brit, Jacob Fearnley. It was really an emotional moment for him to end his journey with that result on his home soil. Following that, Fognini couldn’t make it through to the main round at Roland Garros, and now at Wimbledon, despite a hard-fought battle, he had to yet again end up on the losing side. What was his reaction after this match, though?
During his post-match press conference, Fabio Fognini was asked to reflect a bit on what was exactly going through his mind when he saw Carlos Alcaraz pointing at him to get the applause from the crowd despite him sealing the victory against the Italian. In reply, Fognini said, “I was really emotional, to be honest. I cried in the locker room. Because, as I said, I didn’t expect to play 5 sets against him. The way I was coming here, no expectation. Since I started the year this year after the injury, I was playing really bad. I didn’t win many matches… There is no better way to play in this court with a great champion that I have a lot of respect for, and for his team, because I know them very, very well.”
Fognini says he cried in the locker room after his loss to Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon, ‘I didn’t expect to play 5 sets against him’
“What was going through your mind when Carlos pointed at you to get the applause after that match?”
Fabio: “I was really emotional to be honest.… pic.twitter.com/NbniudQABB
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) June 30, 2025
The post Carlos Alcaraz’s Opponent Unveils True Locker Room Emotions Following Tough Wimbledon Defeat: ‘I Cried’ appeared first on EssentiallySports.