Wimbledon opened with a jaw-dropping shocker on the very first day. It wasn’t just No. 3 seed — women’s player Jessica Pegula and third seed Alexander Zverev lost in the first round. Pegula’s most recent title came at the Bad Homburg Open. Yet she had a difficult second-round draw against Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto and lost in straight sets. His stiffest challenge came from France’s Arthur Rinderknech. Their five-set thriller picked up after it was temporarily stopped because of curfew.
In a match that lasted only 58 minutes, Cocciaretto topped Pegula 6-2, 6-3. The Italian, currently ranked No. 116 in the world, displayed remarkable skill and resilience on the court, capitalizing on Pegula’s fatigue. Pegula acknowledged that the fatigue from the prior tournament along with sleepless nights were likely factors in her performance.
Jessica Pegula’s Early Exit
Jessica Pegula arrived at Wimbledon with great expectations as the third-seeded Pegula. But her recent breakthrough win at the Bad Homburg Open, plus not enough recovery, seemed to take a toll on her performance. On the eve of one of the biggest matches of her life, she had gotten maybe six hours. Consequently, she found it difficult to establish a rhythm against Cocciaretto.
“You can’t really be in control when you play someone like Sascha Zverev,” Pegula remarked, drawing a comparison between her situation and that of her male counterpart.
Cocciaretto reflected on what had been a joyful day for her after the match, saying, “It was my day.” She emphasized what a key role preparation and intentionality played in getting to this moment.
Alexander Zverev Falls to Rinderknech
In one more stunning outcome on an upset Friday, Alexander Zverev was extended to a third-set tiebreak by Arthur Rinderknech. The match extended into a second day due to an 11 p.m. curfew limiting matches to just three hours. When play started on Tuesday, Zverev’s fate was anything but certain. The final score was 7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-7, 6-4 in Rinderknech’s favor.
“I can’t do it anymore. I’m just happy the match is finished,” Rinderknech shared after the grueling encounter. The French player highlighted the emotional toll and physical demands of the match, noting, “We started yesterday at, whatever, at 8. We finished today at 7. Slept about six hours last night. It’s very difficult, this sport.”
Rinderknech celebrated his victory as he achieved his first top-five win against Zverev, who has been a dominant force in tennis for over a decade.
Implications of the Upsets
The joint early exits of Pegula and Zverev cast doubt on their preparation for the most hostile environment that will greet them at Wimbledon. While Pegula’s quick turnaround from her recent title may have left her fatigued, Zverev’s defeat illustrates the unpredictable nature of tennis, where even top-ranked players can falter under pressure.
The tournament unfolds, viewers around the world will relish seeing how these shocking outcomes impact the competition moving forward. Both players will certainly be critical of their performances as they aim to regroup ahead of the next tournament slate.
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