Wimbledon kicked off its 138th season in record-breaking heat, with the highest temperature ever recorded on opening day making for a dramatic start. According to the Met Office, temperatures exceeded 32C, putting both players and spectators to the test.
The highlight of the first day was two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. During a tense five-set match against Italy’s Fabio Fognini, a shocking incident occurred when a fan collapsed from heatstroke. In a display of sportsmanship, Alcaraz quickly ran to the aid of the fan in distress, offering a bottle of water while medical personnel rushed to the scene.
Alcaraz gives a bottle of water to a fan in need of medical attention (Photo: Getty).
After the match, Alcaraz shared about the playing conditions: "Playing in such high temperatures is really difficult to deal with. It's even more difficult when you play long matches, long rallies. We are playing in tough conditions. It's really difficult to play, but we are professionals."
He also expressed sympathy for the audience: "Obviously for the fans, and even in London, they're not used to this weather. Sitting in the stands for five hours without moving, the sun shining in, can be really difficult for the audience."
Earlier in the day, ninth seed Daniil Medvedev became the first major player to be eliminated, losing to Benjamin Bonzi in four sets. It was the first time in seven Wimbledon appearances that the 29-year-old has failed to advance beyond the opening round.
Despite acknowledging Bonzi's impressive performance, Medvedev did not hesitate to emphasize the weather factor: "Physically it was not easy. When you are on fire, everything happens. The fourth set was definitely the most difficult set. And the temperature? I would never say that he won because of the temperature, but the weather was not pleasant. I think if you ask him, he did not like the temperature either."
Fans avoid the heat while watching matches at Wimbledon (Photo: Getty)
However, the rising temperatures have brought an unexpected benefit to the tournament's iconic grass courts. Neil Stubley, Head of Turf and Gardening at Wimbledon, explained that the heatwave has actually been beneficial to maintaining the court surfaces. "The hot weather has really created good conditions for the grass at Wimbledon," Stubley said. "Other than extra watering, no additional measures have been required ahead of the tournament."
While many players struggled with the heat, others seemed to cope better. Chile's Nicolas Jarry was a prime example. The world No. 143 overcame any concerns about the heat to beat eighth seed Holger Rune in a thrilling five-set match. "It's not difficult to play five sets in that kind of weather," Jarry told ATPTour.com. "But it would be much more difficult to play three hours in Rio de Janeiro or Buenos Aires."
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/alcaraz-duoc-ca-ngoi-khi-tang-nuoc-cho-co-dong-vien-bi-say-nang-20250702073258050.htm
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