Medvedev bites the grass, Alcaraz scrapes through

The big upset on Day 1 was the world No.9's loss to Benjamin Bonzi. Alcaraz beat Fognini in five sets

- Rutvick Mehta

MUMBAI: There was a time, in the transitional men's tennis phase of the Big Three dominance dwindling and two young stars rising yet not sparkling, when Daniil Medvedev held fort for a consistent face deep in Grand Slams. Between 2021 and 2024, he made five Slam finals and became the 2021 US Open champion.

This year, the Russian has had one win and back-to-back first-round exits in Slams. Though he says he's "not panicking" yet, the ever-entertaining Medvedev is battling a crisis of form, having lost three straight matches in Slams for the first time in his career.

The most recent, arguably, is the most shocking. On the hottest opening day recorded at SW19, as per the ATP, Medvedev fizzled out against Benjamin Bonzi in four sets the opening day at Wimbledon. As the world No.9, almost resignedly, sprayed his forehand long, the 64th-ranked Frenchman completed the 7-6(2), 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-2 victory.

Carlos Alcaraz, chasing a third straight Wimbledon title, waxed and waned on Centre Court against 38-year-old Fabio Fognini, whose game belied the fact that he was in his final Wimbledon. The Spaniard survived a scare before sending the Italian out with a 7-5 6-7(5) 7-5 2-6 6-1 win.