Just days after claiming her ninth career title and second on grass at Bad Homburg by defeating Iga Swiatek, world No. 3 Jessica Pegula arrived at Wimbledon as one of the notable contenders for the Venus Rosewater Dish.
However, her aspirations for a maiden Grand Slam title or even a deep run were abruptly cut short on Tuesday. Pegula suffered a surprising first-round defeat to Elisabetta Cocciaretto, losing 6-2, 6-3 in a swift 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 high-ranked player to stumble in the highly unpredictable initial rounds at the All England Club. In fact, she wasn`t even the only woman in the top three to exit early; No. 2 seed Coco Gauff, fresh off her French Open victory, also lost on the same day. Alexander Zverev, the men`s No. 3 seed, also joined the ranks of early departees on Tuesday.
Ultimately, a total of eight top-10 seeds – four women and four men – were ousted during the first two days of competition. This marks a new Open Era record for the most top-10 players eliminated at this stage of a major tournament. It`s also the first time in the Open Era 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 progressed to the second round, which is the second-lowest number since the current seeding system was introduced in 2001.
“Upsets are contagious,” observed Brad Gilbert, former player and current coach, during the broadcast on Tuesday. “If you`re seeded, be wary before you leave that locker room.”
So, who exactly went home early, and what does their absence signify for the players still in contention? Let`s break it down.
Women
No. 2 Coco Gauff
Lost to Dayana Yastremska, 7-6 (3), 6-1
Coming off her second career major win at the French Open just weeks prior, the focus was firmly on the 21-year-old Gauff at Wimbledon. Despite never having advanced past the fourth round here and suffering an opening-round loss in her only grass tune-up event in Berlin, she was still considered a favorite for the title.
But it wasn`t meant to be. Originally scheduled for Centre Court but moved to No. 1 Court for the final match of the day, Gauff fell behind 5-2 in the first set. She managed to claw back and force a tiebreak, but Yastremska elevated her game from that point forward, never allowing Gauff to regain control.
Gauff struggled increasingly with her serve and appeared nervous, accumulating nine double faults and 29 unforced errors. Yastremska, meanwhile, remained aggressive throughout. Gauff later admitted to reporters that she felt “a little overwhelmed” by the attention following her Paris triumph and hadn`t had sufficient time for proper preparation.
“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.
But yeah, I mean, also she played great. I mean, 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 sole major where Gauff has not yet reached the quarterfinals.
Yastremska, ranked No. 42, reached the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2019 and was a semifinalist at the 2024 Australian Open. She is set to face qualifier Anastasia Zakharova in the second round on Thursday. Gauff`s exit potentially benefits No. 28 seed Sofia Kenin, a possible third-round opponent, as well as No. 16 Daria Kasatkina or No. 19 Liudmila Samsonova, who were potential fourth-round opponents. Iga Swiatek (No. 8 seed) and Elena Rybakina (No. 11 seed, 2022 champion) are now the clear frontrunners in that quarter of the draw.
No. 3 Jessica Pegula
Lost to Elisabetta Cocciaretto, 6-2, 6-3
Heading into the match, Pegula had maintained remarkable consistency at majors over recent seasons, not having lost in the first round of a Slam since 2020. Few anticipated that the No. 116-ranked Cocciaretto, whom Pegula had defeated in their only previous meeting at Wimbledon in 2023, would cause her earliest exit in over five years and halt her positive momentum on grass.
However, Cocciaretto delivered what Pegula described as “absolutely incredible tennis” and became the first Italian woman in the Open Era to defeat a top-3 seed at Wimbledon.
“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 said. “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 will now play fellow American Katie Volynets in the second round on Thursday, aiming to reach the Round of 32 at the All England Club for the second time. This presents a significant opportunity for both players and potentially eases the path to the second week for No. 18 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, the likely third-round opponent. Pegula`s departure makes Mirra Andreeva (No. 7 seed) the highest seed remaining in their quarter, which could also be favorable news for Swiatek, who is in the same half of the draw, especially after their recent one-sided match in Bad Homburg.
No. 5 Zheng Qinwen
Lost to Katerina Siniakova, 7-5, 4-6, 6-1
The 22-year-old Zheng has achieved notable success, including an Olympic gold medal, an Australian Open final appearance, and quarterfinal runs at the French Open and US Open over the past two years. However, she has struggled to replicate this form at the All England Club and on grass. While she reached the third round on her debut in 2022, Tuesday marked her third consecutive first-round exit at Wimbledon.
Siniakova, currently ranked No. 81 in singles but world No. 1 in doubles, had previously defeated Zheng twice on grass. On Tuesday, she overcame a 5-3 deficit in the first set to win it. Zheng improved in the second, but the deciding 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 commented later. “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 now face four-time major winner Naomi Osaka in the second round. Neither player has progressed beyond the third round here previously, but the winner would have the opportunity to do so against either No. 31 seed Ashlyn Krueger or Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. No. 4 seed Jasmine Paolini is the only top-10 seed remaining in their quarter and would only potentially meet Siniakova/Osaka/Krueger/Pavlyuchenkova in the quarterfinals. Could this be the opportunity for Osaka to make a significant run at Wimbledon? Time will tell.
No. 9 Paula Badosa
Lost to Katie Boulter, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
Competing on Centre Court against the British No. 2 player (ranked No. 43 globally), Badosa knew advancing to the second round would be challenging. The match lasted nearly two hours before a captivated crowd on Monday, with Boulter ultimately prevailing in the final set.
Boulter, whose record against top-10 opponents was previously 3-16, later described the win as one of the “best” of her career.
“Centre Court Wimbledon, as a Brit, against a top 10 player, for me doesn`t get that much better,” Boulter remarked. “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 opponent will be lucky loser Solana Sierra (ranked No. 101) on Wednesday. The winner will then face either No. 22 seed Donna Vekic or Cristina Bucsa in the third round. Madison Keys, the No. 6 seed and reigning Australian Open champion, would likely await the winner in the fourth round. After the first round, the anticipated quarterfinal match between Keys and No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka appears to remain on track.
Other seeded women eliminated 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 previously gone beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon, Zverev arrived having reached the final and semifinals at his two grass-court lead-up events. He seemed poised for a strong campaign and potentially his best result yet at the All England Club.
However, Arthur Rinderknech, a 29-year-old ranked No. 72, had different plans.
In a match that began on Monday but was suspended due to curfew and finished on Tuesday, Rinderknech was dominant at the net, winning 44 of 55 points, and largely dictated the pace and momentum. After four hours and 40 minutes of play, Rinderknech secured arguably the biggest victory of his career, while Zverev maintained his status as the player many, including Andy Roddick, consider the best on tour yet to win a major title.
“I don`t even know where to start,” an 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 faces a quick turnaround, playing lucky loser Cristian Garin on Wednesday. The section of the draw he is in is now relatively open, with No. 17 seed Karen Khachanov being the only seeded player remaining in that half of the quarter, and No. 5 seed Taylor Fritz the only top-10 seed left in the quarter overall.
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 as the tournament commenced. However, a leg injury sustained in Paris prevented him from playing any grass-court warm-up events before Wimbledon, and the lack of preparation was evident on Monday.
“I was struggling to feel comfortable on the court from the beginning,” Musetti said after his 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, which normally I know how to move, today seems like I never played on this surface. A really bad performance I would say.”
Basilashvili, a former top-20 player now ranked No. 126 who came through qualifying, hit 48 winners and needed just two hours and 25 minutes to complete the upset.
The 33-year-old Basilashvili will now take on another Italian, Lorenzo Sonego, on Wednesday. Reilly Opelka, the 2015 Wimbledon junior champion, or No. 29 seed Brandon Nakashima would be potential opponents in the third round. This opens up a potentially more favorable path for No. 10 seed Ben Shelton, who could face one of these players in the fourth round with an 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 Rune, a 2023 Wimbledon quarterfinalist, was heading for a comfortable second-round berth. Even as qualifier Nicolas Jarry, ranked No. 143, raised his level to force a deciding set, the odds still seemed to favor Rune, especially since Jarry had never won a five-set match and was on a seven-match major losing streak.
But none of those statistics mattered on Monday.
Rune required a trainer in the fourth set for a persistent right knee issue, which he cited as a contributing factor to the loss. He didn`t conceal his disappointment when speaking to the press afterwards.
“I mean, if I play normal, I`m beating him nine out of ten times, with all respect for Nicolas Jarry,” Rune stated. “Obviously today didn`t make it a lot easier with my knee, but yeah, it was not great.”
Jarry is set to play American Learner Tien next, with a chance to reach the Wimbledon third round for the second time. Either American Jenson Brooksby or teenage sensation Joao Fonseca would await in the Round of 32. Perhaps the player who benefits most from Rune`s loss is No. 12 seed Frances Tiafoe, who was projected to meet Rune in the fourth round. Fresh off his first French Open quarterfinal, Tiafoe may now have an improved 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 Medvedev, the former world No. 1 and 2021 US Open champion. In the three majors played so far this year, he has won only a single match (at the Australian Open) and has now suffered consecutive first-round exits.
Having reached the Wimbledon semifinals in the previous two editions, his 2025 run at the All England Club did not go as hoped.
On Monday against world No. 64 Benjamin Bonzi, Medvedev recorded his earliest ever exit at the tournament in seven appearances. He later told reporters he wasn`t overly concerned about his recent major results or the state of his game or ranking, appearing ready to focus on the next part of the season.
“I`m for sure very disappointed about the fact that I lost [but] it`s OK,” Medvedev commented. “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 has now reached the Wimbledon second round for the third time but has never advanced further. He will have the opportunity to break through against Jordan Thompson on Wednesday, and could potentially go even deeper as wild cards Arthur Fery or Luciano Darderi would await in the Round of 32. With the exits of Medvedev and Zverev, Fritz is now the clear favorite to win his quarter of the draw.
Other seeded men eliminated 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
