Fans take cover on hottest opening day in Wimbledon history

LONDON :Wimbledon experienced its hottest-ever start on a scorching Monday as temperatures climbed to 32.3 degrees Celsius and transformed the All England Club into a sizzling spectacle of sun hats, shade-seekers and fans reaching for water bottles.

Carlos Alcaraz battled to victory over Italian Fabio Fognini on a searing Centre Court in the evening but not before play was stopped for over 15 minutes in the fifth set after a woman in the stands needed medical attention and left on a wheelchair.

The All England Club said the air temperature, confirmed by the French meteorological administration Meteo France, eclipsed the previous opening-day high of 29.3 degrees set at the start of the 2001 edition.

Fans were left feeling like they were in the Australian Open furnace rather than London as Monday's temperature threatened to surpass the tournament record of 35.7 degrees, which was reached in 2015.

Alcaraz was frequently reaching for an ice-packed towel during his clash with Fognini, as did a number of other players on the various courts, with spectators almost looking on in envy as they could only fan themselves to ease the oppressive heat.

Wimbledon's heat rule was applied and players were allowed to take 10-minute breaks during their matches.

Daniil Medvedev slumped to a four-sets defeat against the unheralded Benjamin Bonzi and the Russian ninth seed said the conditions had made it difficult for both players.

"Physically it was not easy ... I mean, I'll never say he won because of the heat," Medvedev said.

"But the heat is not easy to play. I do think if you ask him, probably he was not enjoying the heat either."

'CLOSE TO RIO'

Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca said he felt more at home under the unforgiving sun as he sent local