DAY 1 MEN'S UPDATES: Alcaraz survives Fognini scare; Medvedev, Rune ousted

Carlos Alcaraz survived a major scare from Italian veteran Fabio Fognini as the world No 2 started his bid for a third successive Wimbledon title with a marathon five-set victory on Monday.

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Alcaraz battled to a 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 2-6, 6-1 win over the 38-year-old Italian in a first-round clash lasting over four hours in sweltering conditions on Centre Court.

It was first time since Roger Federer narrowly beat Alejandro Falla in 2010 that a defending champion had been taken to a fifth set in the Wimbledon first round.

Alcaraz shrugged off an inconsistent display including 62 unforced errors as he refused to wilt on the hottest opening day in Wimbledon history.

The 22-year-old secured a crucial break in the second game of the deciding set, roaring "vamos" after saving two break points in the next game.

Fognini had given Alcaraz a much sterner test than expected, but the world number 138 ran out of steam as the indefatigable Spaniard once again showcased his final set prowess.

Alcaraz has never lost in a Grand Slam first round in 18 appearances.

Having vanquished Novak Djokovic in the past two Wimbledon finals, Alcaraz is looking to join an elite group of Wimbledon icons.

His clay-court credentials are firmly established after he fought back from two sets down to beat Jannik Sinner in an epic French Open final earlier this month.

Alcaraz is equally dynamic on grass, winning 30 of his 33 Tour-level matches on the surface, with his last defeat at Wimbledon coming against Sinner in the fourth round in 2022.

He is bidding to become the fifth man in the Open Era to win at least three consecutive Wimbledon titles after seven-time champion Djokovic, Bjorn Borg, Roger Federer and Pete Sampras.

If he achieves that target, Alcaraz would be the second-youngest player in the Open Era to win six Grand Slam men's titles after Borg, who reached that landmark in 1978

MEDVEDEV MAKES EARLY EXIT AFTER MELTDOWN 

Daniil Medvedev found the roasting conditions and a French opponent who had not won a match on grass for three years too hot to handle as the ninth seed suffered a 7-6(2) 3-6 7-6(3) 6-2 loss to Benjamin Bonzi in the first round.

The Russian, who reached the semifinals at the All England Club for the last two years, got all hot and bothered as Bonzi brought out what he described as his "A-game" to dispatch the 2021 US Open champion on Court Two, which felt like an oven throughout the three-hour match.

With Medvedev desperate to preserve his 100% record of reaching at least the second round at Wimbledon, he took out his frustrations on his racket, smashing it to the ground after Bonzi had got the better of him yet again in the third set.

But there was no respite for the former world number one.

"I was surprised by his level... there was not much I could do better," Medvedev told reporters.

"Every shot that I played today, even good shots, he had an answer. Today, he barely missed. When you're on fire, everything goes in.

"Whatever I did on the court, it was not bothering him too much. Everything he did was tough for me to play. I fought. I tried."

While spectators took shade under umbrellas, large-brimmed hats, newspapers and any other makeshift item they could grab to block out the burning sun, the only respite the players got was a 10-minute break at the end of the third set with Wimbledon's heat rule coming into force as the temperature soared above 32 degrees Celsius.

That did little to revive Medvedev, however, as he immediately fell behind 2-0 to world number 64 Bonzi in the fourth set and it was a setback he could not recover from.

When the Russian netted a backhand, it brought up a first match point for Bonzi, and the Frenchman was celebrating his first win over a top-10 player at a major seconds later, after Medvedev smacked a forehand long.

"This is special for me today. This is my first top 10 win at a slam. I love this place," a beaming Bonzi told the crowd.

"Daniil is a great player. Sometimes it's easier to play an opponent like him in the first round as the players are not used to playing on grass early in the tournament.

"I had nothing to lose and I played my A-game."

After shaking hands with his conqueror, Medvedev's anger boiled over again and he gave his rackets another brutal battering -- this time against his courtside chair and bag.

It has been a testing time at the slams for Medvedev this year, as he followed up a second round exit in Melbourne with first round defeats at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

The early departure from Wimbledon was particularly disappointing for Medvedev considering he had contested the Halle final just eight days ago.

"I'm for sure very disappointed about the fact that I lost," he said.

"If I manage to play like I did in Halle, honestly even like I did today, I do feel like I can come back to top 10. It's a matter of one result, right? I played good in Halle, I'm back in top 10. Played bad here, I'm out of top 10."

EIGHTH SEED RUNE CRASHES OUT

Holger Rune crashed out of Wimbledon in the first round as the Danish eighth seed blew a two-set lead against Chile's Nicolas Jarry.

Rune was beaten 4-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 in three hours and 34 minutes on Court Three at the All England Club.

The 22-year-old is yet to make it past the quarter-finals at any of the four Grand Slams, with his best run at Wimbledon ending in the last eight in 2023.

Jarry, ranked 143rd, will face American world number 62 Learner Tien in the second round.

EXCITING FONSECA BEATS FEARNLEY

Up-and-coming Brazilian Joao Fonseca knocked British hopeful Jacob Fearnley out in the first round at Wimbledon, with a 6-4 6-1 7-6(5) win, confirming his credentials as one of the most exciting young talents in tennis.

Fonseca, at 18 the youngest man in the men's singles draw and on his Wimbledon debut, used power and variety in his serve and his trademark brutal forehand to overpower 23-year-old Fearnley, who at 51 is ranked three places above the Brazilian.

It was the Brazilian's third victory over Fearnley this year and he capitalised on some nervous and erratic serving from the Briton, who produced 10 double faults in the match often at crucial moments.

Fearnley rallied in the third set and forced a tiebreak but the cool-headed Brazilian pulled out two aces to bring up match point and won the game when the Briton put a return long.

BRITISH QUALIFIER TARVET ENJOYS DREAM DEBUT

British qualifier Oliver Tarvet enjoyed a dream Wimbledon debut with a 6-4 6-4 6-4 victory over Switzerland's Leandro Riedi and things could get even better for the 21-year-old with a Centre Court clash against defending champion Alcaraz next.

Tarvet, who came through three rounds of qualifying, thrilled a packed crown around Court Four with a majestic display to outclass fellow-qualifier Riedi.

Second-round losers are guaranteed £99 000 in prize money, but because Tarvet is still a student at the University of San Diego he will miss out on a potentially career-changing windfall.

Because of his amateur status, the world number 719 will be entitled to only $10 000 plus any expenses he incurs.

Although that will hurt in the short term, such was the quality of Tarvet's game that he looked destined for a rapid rise in the rankings and he will likely turn professional after his final year of study in California.

Tarvet was the only British player to survive the qualifying tournament, joining 22 other home players in the singles draws, 14 of them wildcards.

TSITSITPAS AT A LOSS TO EXPLAIN INJURY WOES

Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas said he has no answers to his ongoing fitness problems after being forced to retire from his first-round match  due to a back injury.

Former world number three Tsitsipas, seeded 24th this year, was trailing 6-3 6-2 to French qualifier Valentin Royer when he decided enough was enough.

The twice Grand Slam runner-up cut a disconsolate figure as he spoke to reporters.

"I'm battling many wars these days. It's really painful to see myself in a situation like this," he said.

"I feel like I'm left without answers. I don't know. I've tried everything. I've done an incredible job with my fitness. I've done an incredible job with my physiotherapy, so I've maximized on everything that I possibly can do.

"Right now, I'm just absolutely left with no answers."

Tsitsipas said he has been struggling with a lower back injury since withdrawing from the ATP Tour Finals in 2023 and despite winning the Dubai title this year, his fitness issues have coincided with a slide in the rankings.

"It's probably the most difficult situation that I've ever been faced with, because it's an ongoing issue that doesn't seem to be disappearing or fading," he said.

"I have a limit at some point, so I'll definitely have to have my final answer on whether I want to do stuff or not in the next couple of months.

"Tennis is a rotational sport, and if you can't rotate, then there's no reason playing it."

Tsitsipas has recently started working with Novak Djokovic's former coach Goran Ivanisevic.

"He's great. We're having a great time. I am very disappointed that I wasn't able to show my potential the way I deserve to play on the court," Tsitsipas said.

Tsitsipas has reached only won quarterfinal in his last nine Grand Slam tournaments and his hopes of playing in the US Open now appear to be in jeopardy.

FORMER RUNNER-UP BERRETTINI LOSES IN WIMBLEDON FIRST ROUND

Former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini suffered a surprise first-round exit at the hands of Poland's Kamil Majchrzak at the All England Club on Monday.

The Italian 32nd seed was beaten 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 in three hours and seven minutes on Court Three.

Berrettini reached the Wimbledon title match in 2021 before losing to Novak Djokovic.

That remains the 29-year-old's only Grand Slam final.

And his limp Wimbledon loss at the hands of 109th-ranked Majchrzak means Berrettini has failed to get past the second round in his past five Grand Slam appearances.