In a dramatic first-round match at Wimbledon 2025 on June 30, Fabio Fognini, the 38-year-old Italian veteran ranked No. 138, playfully threatened to launch a ball at two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz during a tense moment on Centre Court, as reported by *BBC Sport*. The incident occurred during a grueling five-set battle, with Alcaraz ultimately prevailing 7-5, 6-7(5), 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 after three hours and 35 minutes. The lighthearted gesture came as Fognini, frustrated by Alcaraz’s resilience, responded to the Spaniard’s scowl with a smile, momentarily easing the tension, per *BBC Sport*. “Alcaraz’s scowl turns to a smile as Fognini playfully threatens to hit a ball at him. Don’t make him happy, Fabio,” the BBC noted, highlighting Alcaraz’s dangerous form when relaxed.
Fognini, in his final Wimbledon appearance before retiring, pushed Alcaraz to the brink, forcing a fifth set with 44 winners and a stunning 6-2 fourth-set win, per *The Athletic*. His aggressive baseline play and deft volleys, including a remarkable rally where he sent Alcaraz sprawling, earned break points and crowd roars, as seen in a viral *BBC Sport* clip (@BBCSport, June 30, 2025). Alcaraz, however, capitalized on a crucial break in the fifth set, sparked by Fognini’s fall into the net and an unforced error, securing a 2-0 lead, per *The Independent*. Despite Fognini’s 11-match losing streak entering the match, his performance was described as “unbelievable” by *BBC Sport*, with @josemorgado on X noting Alcaraz’s 36 unforced errors, including 20 in the second set.
The ball-launch moment, while playful, underscored Fognini’s fiery spirit, a trait highlighted by a 2024 controversy where he jokingly wished to “bomb Wimbledon” over scheduling frustrations, per @sport on X. Alcaraz, on an 18-match win streak after titles at Queen’s Club, Rome, and the 2025 French Open, avoided a historic upset, with *ATP Tour* noting he’d be only the third defending champion to fall in the first round if defeated. The Spaniard now faces qualifier Oliver Tarvet, ranked No. 733, in the second round, per *Tennis TV*. Fognini’s spirited display, capped by the cheeky ball gesture, left a lasting impression on his Wimbledon farewell.
