Tennis legend John McEnroe didn’t hold back in his assessment of Carlos Alcaraz’s first-round performance at Wimbledon 2025, describing the two-time defending champion as “flat as a pancake” during a grueling five-set battle against Fabio Fognini on June 30, 2025. Speaking on BBC commentary, McEnroe labeled the match a “wake-up call” for the world No. 2, who narrowly escaped an upset with a 7-5, 6-7(5), 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 victory in four hours and 37 minutes on Centre Court, per *BBC Sport*. The seven-time Grand Slam champion highlighted Alcaraz’s uncharacteristic struggles, noting, “His serve was off, his forehand was off. For me to see him play like that was surprising,” per *The Sport Review*.[](https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/videos/c2k11q3z850o)[](https://www.thesportreview.com/tennis/john-mcenroe-names-two-changes-carlos-alcaraz-has-to-make-if-he-wants-to-win-wimbledon-after-fabio-fognini-scare/)
McEnroe pointed to Alcaraz’s 36 unforced errors, particularly in the second set (20 errors), and his failure to close out the match when leading a set and 4-2, as evidence of a lackluster performance, per *The Mirror*. “Why? I don’t know. Perhaps he assumed Fognini would fall away pretty easily,” McEnroe speculated, suggesting overconfidence may have played a role despite Alcaraz’s 19-match win streak, including titles at the 2025 French Open and Queen’s Club, per *The Mirror US*. The extreme 32°C heat, which led to a 15-minute medical emergency pause for a spectator, also impacted Alcaraz, who appeared “more tired than Fognini” despite a 16-year age gap, per *The Mirror US*.[](https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/tennis/carlos-alcaraz-john-mcenroe-wimbledon-35481476)[](https://www.themirror.com/sport/tennis/john-mcenroe-carlos-alcaraz-wimbledon-1238076)[](https://www.themirror.com/sport/tennis/john-mcenroe-fabio-fognini-wimbledon-1237111)
Despite the criticism, McEnroe acknowledged Fognini’s brilliance, crediting the 38-year-old Italian’s 44 winners and flair for pushing Alcaraz to the brink in what he called “one of the most interesting first-round matches” at Wimbledon, per *Express.co.uk*. Alcaraz himself admitted the heat and Fognini’s level made it “really difficult to deal with,” but he rallied in the fifth set, per *The Independent*. Posts on X, like @DExpress_Sport, echoed McEnroe’s sentiments, with @Tennis_Gazette calling Alcaraz’s performance “very unusual” (@Tennis_Gazette, July 1, 2025). As Alcaraz prepares for British qualifier Oliver Tarvet in the second round, McEnroe’s warning underscores the need for sharper play to fend off rivals like Novak Djokovic, who eyes an eighth Wimbledon title, per *BBC Sport*.[]
