Jessica Pegula felt she was at the peak of her game on Saturday after winning her ninth career title, and second on grass, in Bad Homburg with a convincing 6-4, 7-5 victory over Iga Swiatek. Ranked world No. 3, she arrived at Wimbledon mere hours later, considered a strong contender for the Venus Rosewater Dish.
However, Pegula`s aspirations for a maiden major title, or even a significant run, were abruptly ended on Tuesday. She suffered a swift first-round defeat to Elisabetta Cocciaretto, losing 6-2, 6-3 in just 58 minutes.
`It`s really a bummer to lose,` a dejected Pegula commented post-match. `I haven`t lost first round of a slam in a very long time, so that sucks.`
Yet, Pegula was far from the only highly ranked player to exit early during the remarkably unpredictable opening days at the All England Club. She wasn`t even the only top-three women`s player to fall; Coco Gauff, the No. 2 seed and recent French Open champion, also lost later the same day. Similarly, Alexander Zverev, the men`s No. 3 seed, joined the list of early departures on Tuesday.
In total, eight top-10 seeds – four women and four men – were eliminated within the first two days of play, establishing a new record for the most top-10 exits at a major in the Open Era. This is also the first time since the Open Era began that two of the top three women`s seeds have lost in the opening round of a Grand Slam.
On the men`s side, only 19 seeded players advanced to the second round, the second-lowest number at a major since the current seeding format was introduced in 2001.
`Upsets are contagious,` observed Brad Gilbert, former player and coach, during Tuesday`s broadcast. `If you`re seeded, be wary before you leave that locker room.`
Let`s break down some of the notable early exits and their potential impact on the remainder of the tournament draw.
Women
No. 2 Coco Gauff
Lost to Dayana Yastremska, 7-6 (3), 6-1
Just weeks after securing her second career major title at the French Open, Coco Gauff, aged 21, arrived at Wimbledon under considerable scrutiny. Despite never having progressed past the fourth round at the All England Club and experiencing an opening-round loss in her only grass-court warm-up event in Berlin, she was still considered one of the favorites for the title.
However, her campaign was cut short. Playing the final match of the day on No. 1 Court, having been initially scheduled for Centre Court, Gauff initially fell behind 5-2 in the first set before recovering to force a tiebreak. But Yastremska subsequently dominated, preventing Gauff from finding her rhythm.
Gauff struggled notably with her serve and appeared nervous, accumulating nine double faults and 29 unforced errors. Yastremska, conversely, maintained an aggressive approach throughout. Gauff later explained to reporters that she felt `a little overwhelmed` by the attention following her Paris victory and lacked sufficient preparation time.
`It`s the first time in this experience of coming off a win and having to play Wimbledon,` Gauff stated. `I definitely learned a lot of what I would and would not do again… I saw the draw and knew it would be a tough match for me. I had chances, but yeah, it is what it is.`
Wimbledon remains the only major where Gauff has not reached the quarterfinals. Yastremska, currently ranked No. 42 with a previous fourth-round appearance here in 2019 and an Australian Open semifinal in 2024, is set to face qualifier Anastasia Zakharova in the second round. Gauff`s exit potentially eases the path for No. 28 seed Sofia Kenin (a potential third-round opponent) and for either No. 16 Daria Kasatkina or No. 19 Liudmila Samsonova (potential fourth-round opponents). With Gauff out, No. 8 seed Iga Swiatek and No. 11 seed Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, now appear as the clear favorites in this quarter of the draw.
No. 3 Jessica Pegula
Lost to Elisabetta Cocciaretto, 6-2, 6-3
Before this match, Pegula had not lost in the first round of a Grand Slam since 2020 and has been among the most consistent performers at majors in recent seasons. Few anticipated that the world No. 116 Cocciaretto, whom Pegula had defeated at Wimbledon in 2023, would inflict her earliest major exit in over five years and halt her current grass-court momentum.
However, Cocciaretto delivered what Pegula described as `absolutely incredible tennis,` becoming the first Italian woman to defeat a top-3 seed at Wimbledon in the Open Era.
`Do I think I played the best match ever? No. But I definitely don`t think I was playing bad. It wasn`t like I was playing that bad,` Pegula commented. `She just was hitting her shots and going for it, serving big, serving high percentage, going big second serves, redirecting the ball. It was just her day, I honestly think.`
Cocciaretto`s next opponent in the second round will be American Katie Volynets. This opens up the draw significantly, making the path to the second week potentially simpler for No. 18 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, who is the likely third-round opponent. Pegula`s departure leaves Mirra Andreeva, the No. 7 seed, as the highest seed remaining in this quarter of the draw. It could also be welcome news for Iga Swiatek, in the same half, after their one-sided final in Bad Homburg.
No. 5 Zheng Qinwen
Lost to Katerina Siniakova, 7-5, 4-6, 6-1
Despite her accomplishments elsewhere, including Olympic gold, an Australian Open final appearance, and quarterfinals at the French and US Opens over the past two years, the 22-year-old Zheng has not found comparable success at the All England Club or on grass courts. While she reached the third round in her 2022 debut, Tuesday marked her third consecutive first-round exit at Wimbledon.
Siniakova, ranked No. 81 in singles but world No. 1 in doubles, had defeated Zheng on grass previously. Though she trailed 5-3 in the opening set on Tuesday, Siniakova rallied to claim the first set. Zheng elevated her game in the second, but the final set was dominated by Siniakova, who quickly established a 5-0 lead.
`I just think if I could do it better, my service game, and put more first serve on court today, I could have [had] more chances to [have] won the match,` Zheng reflected. `Especially when it`s my service game, I give her too many chances, and she break me in the early third set. I think that`s very dangerous, you know, to play on grass, because you don`t get too much chance to come back. I think she played good. I didn`t play good enough today. I gave her a lot of easy mistakes.`
Siniakova, a three-time Wimbledon doubles champion, will face four-time major winner Naomi Osaka in the second round. Neither player has advanced past the third round at the tournament. The winner of their match could potentially face either No. 31 seed Ashlyn Krueger or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova for a spot in the fourth round. No. 4 seed Jasmine Paolini is the only remaining top-10 seed in their quarter of the draw, meaning Siniakova/Osaka/Krueger/Pavlyuchenkova could only potentially meet her in the quarterfinals. This opens up a significant opportunity, particularly for Osaka, to make a deep run.
No. 9 Paula Badosa
Lost to Katie Boulter, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
Playing on Centre Court against Britain`s No. 2 player, Katie Boulter (ranked world No. 43), Badosa knew her first-round match would be challenging. The two contested a nearly two-hour battle on Monday before Boulter ultimately prevailed in the decisive set.
For Boulter, who previously held a 3-16 record against top-10 opponents, this was arguably one of the `best wins` of her career.
`Centre Court Wimbledon, as a Brit, against a top 10 player, for me doesn`t get that much better,` Boulter stated. `It is one of the reasons why I do play tennis, to win matches like that, and to have a go at the best in the world.`
Boulter`s next match is against lucky loser Solana Sierra (world No. 101). The winner will face either No. 22 seed Donna Vekic or Cristina Bucsa in the third round. No. 6 seed Madison Keys, the reigning Australian Open champion, would likely await that winner in the fourth round. As of the end of the first round, the projected quarterfinal clash between Keys and No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka remains on course.
Other seeded women who lost in the first round:
- No. 15 Karolina Muchova
- No. 20 Jelena Ostapenko
- No. 25 Magdalena Frech
- No. 26 Marta Kostyuk
- No. 32 McCartney Kessler
Men
No. 3 Alexander Zverev
Lost to Arthur Rinderknech, 7-6 (3), 6-7 (8), 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-4
Although he had never advanced beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon, Alexander Zverev arrived this year in strong form, having reached the final and semifinals at his two preceding grass-court events. He appeared poised for a significant run and potentially his best-ever result at the All England Club.
However, Arthur Rinderknech, a 29-year-old ranked No. 72, had other plans. In a match that began Monday and was suspended by curfew before concluding Tuesday, Rinderknech exhibited dominance at the net, winning 44 of 55 points, and largely dictated the match`s pace and momentum. After four hours and 40 minutes, Rinderknech secured the biggest victory of his career, while Zverev retains the unfortunate distinction, according to many including Andy Roddick, of being the best player on tour without a major title.
`I don`t even know where to start,` a visibly exhausted Rinderknech told the crowd immediately after. `It starts for sure with the crowd because I`m feeling the same way as you guys. Just happy the match is finished.`
Rinderknech will have little time to recover before facing lucky loser Cristian Garin in the second round. This section of the draw is now quite open, with No. 17 seed Karen Khachanov being the only other seeded player remaining in that half of the quarter. Overall, No. 5 seed Taylor Fritz is the only top-10 seed left in this quarter of the draw.
No. 7 Lorenzo Musetti
Lost to Nikoloz Basilashvili, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1
Following his first major semifinal appearance at Wimbledon in 2024 and another semifinal run at the French Open last month, expectations were high for the 23-year-old Musetti. However, a leg injury sustained in Paris prevented him from playing any grass-court lead-up events, and the lack of match practice showed on Monday.
`I was struggling to feel comfortable on the court from the beginning,` Musetti admitted after the loss. `Going and going with the match, I was really losing focus and was not reactive on the ball when I was coming out from the serve. Even in the lateral movements… today seems like I never played on this surface. A really bad performance I would say.`
Basilashvili, a former top-20 player currently ranked No. 126 who came through qualifying, hit 48 winners and needed just two hours and 25 minutes to secure the victory.
The 33-year-old Basilashvili will next play fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego. Reilly Opelka or No. 29 seed Brandon Nakashima would potentially await in the third round. This outcome could be favorable for No. 10 seed Ben Shelton, who might face one of these players in the fourth round with a strong opportunity to reach his first Wimbledon quarterfinal.
No. 8 Holger Rune
Lost to Nicolas Jarry, 4-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4
For the first two sets on Monday, it appeared that Holger Rune, a 2023 Wimbledon quarterfinalist, was set for a straightforward passage to the second round. Even when qualifier Nicolas Jarry, ranked No. 143, elevated his game to force a deciding set, Rune seemed favored; Jarry had never won a five-set match and was on a seven-match major losing streak.
However, these statistics proved irrelevant on Monday. Rune requested a trainer in the fourth set for a recurring right knee injury, which he later cited as a contributing factor to the loss. He expressed clear disappointment when speaking to reporters.
`I mean, if I play normal, I`m beating him nine out of ten times, with all respect for Nicolas Jarry,` Rune commented. `Obviously today didn`t make it a lot easier with my knee, but yeah, it was not great.`
Jarry will now face American Learner Tien with a chance to reach the Wimbledon third round for the second time. American Jenson Brooksby or rising teenage talent Joao Fonseca would potentially be his opponent there. Perhaps the player who benefits most from Rune`s loss is No. 12 seed Frances Tiafoe, who was projected to play Rune in the fourth round. Fresh off his first French Open quarterfinal, Tiafoe now has an even better chance to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the first time.
No. 9 Daniil Medvedev
Lost to Benjamin Bonzi, 7-6 (2), 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2
It`s been a challenging season for Daniil Medvedev, the former world No. 1 and 2021 US Open champion. In the three majors held so far this year, he has won only one match (at the Australian Open) and has now experienced consecutive first-round exits.
Having reached the semifinals in his previous two Wimbledon appearances, this early exit was certainly not what he envisioned for 2025. Against world No. 64 Benjamin Bonzi on Monday, Medvedev suffered his earliest departure from the tournament in seven appearances.
He later told reporters that he wasn`t `too worried` about his recent major results, or the state of his game or ranking, and seemed ready to focus on the upcoming hard-court season.
`I`m for sure very disappointed about the fact that I lost [but] it`s OK,` Medvedev said. `Now hard courts. If I manage to play like I did in Halle, honestly even like I did today, I do feel like I can come back to top 10. It`s a matter of one result, right? I played good in Halle, I`m back in top 10. Played bad here, I`m out of top 10.`
Bonzi advances to the Wimbledon second round for the third time but has yet to progress beyond that stage. He will face Jordan Thompson with an opportunity to reach the Round of 32. Wild cards Arthur Fery or Luciano Darderi would potentially be his opponent there. With both Medvedev and Zverev eliminated, Fritz is now the overwhelming favorite to win their quarter of the draw.
Other seeded men who lost in the first round:
- No. 16 Francisco Cerundolo
- No. 18 Ugo Humbert
- No. 20 Alexei Popyrin
- No. 24 Stefanos Tsitsipas (retired with injury)
- No. 27 Denis Shapovalov
- No. 28 Alexander Bublik
- No. 30 Alex Michelsen
- No. 31 Tallon Griekspoor
- No. 32 Matteo Berrettini
Marcus Bellamy