Wimbledon 2025: Alcaraz Begins Title Defense Against Fognini

London, England — The 2025 Wimbledon tournament kicks off Monday with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz set to launch his title defense against Fabio Fognini in the first round. Alcaraz, who has won the tournament the past two years, arrives with a remarkable 18-match winning streak in Grand Slam events.

Following a successful run at the Queen’s Club, Alcaraz faces Fognini, the former world No. 9. In their previous encounters, Alcaraz bested Fognini in both of their matches, both played on clay. However, the Spaniard remains cautious as Fognini has recorded 17 wins over Top 10 players in his career.

Also in the men’s draw, British player Jack Draper will be aiming to impress his home crowd when he takes on Argentina’s Sebastian Baez. Draper, the highest-seeded Briton since Andy Murray in 2017, boasts a strong 28-8 record for the year, including his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells earlier this year.

As the tournament unfolds, all eyes will also be on women’s top seed Aryna Sabalenka, who faces Philippines’ qualifier, and Coco Gauff, who opens her campaign against Dayana Yastremska. Both players are fresh off impressive performances at the French Open, where Gauff claimed the title.

Men’s top seed Alcaraz will play on Centre Court, a prestigious venue in Wimbledon history. With anticipated match-ups on the horizon, he may face off against notable players like Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner in later rounds, should both successfully advance.

The thrilling first-round matches begin June 30, with millions around the world eager to see who will emerge as the champion this year.