One of the Wimbledon title contenders, Jessica Pegula, suffered a shock straight-sets defeat in the first round of the grass-court Grand Slam on Tuesday.
Credit should go to world No 116 Elisabetta Cocciaretto for remaining unfazed by the occasion, particularly when leading, triumphing 6-2, 6-3 in a hugely impressive display out on Court 2.
But for Pegula, just days after her triumph in Bad Homburg, it was a difficult day at the office.
The world No 3’s frustration was evident throughout a contest in which she hit just five winners to a staggering 24 unforced errors – though she was keen to emphasise her opponent’s performance afterwards.
“She [Cocciaretto] played absolutely, incredible tennis,” commented Pegula.
“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.
“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.”
It is the American’s first opening-round loss at a Grand Slam since the 2020 French Open, though it is the second year in a row she has fallen early at Wimbledon.
Pegula lost in the second round of SW19 in 2024, and aside from her stunning run to the US Open final last September, there is no denying her Grand Slam form has dipped.
Since reaching the last eight of Wimbledon in 2023, last year’s action at Flushing Meadows is the only time she has made the quarter-final of a major.
She added: “It’s really a bummer to lose. I haven’t lost first round of a slam in a very long time, so that sucks.
“I used to kind of have trouble getting past the first round for a while. I remember I had a really tough match. I just told myself: ‘I’m done losing first round, I’m not losing first round.’
“I’ve been able to flip that mentality and have great results at slams and be really consistent at slams.”
The American had reached five Grand Slam quarter-finals before her SW19 showing in 2023, where she was beaten by eventual winner Marketa Vondrousova
That included three straight last-eight appearances at the Australian Open, though she has now lost round two and round three the past two years Down Under.
There is no doubt that Pegula is a prolific winner; she has won three titles in 2025 alone, on three different surfaces, and five of her nine career singles titles have come since June 2024.
However, despite her growing success on the WTA Tour, she looks further away than ever of winning a first Grand Slam title.
Only a 33-year-old Flavia Pennetta at the 2015 US Open has won a first major older than 31-year-old Pegula in the Open Era, and it feels like this latest loss could signal that her chances will continue to fade.
“I’ve done really well up until this part of the year. This is definitely, probably the worst result I’ve had all year. I mean, I’ve been winning lots of matches,” she reflected.
“Even at the French [Open], I was one game away from being in the quarters. Australia, I beat some good players. Finals at Adelaide. I feel like I’m playing good tennis.
“It’s just all about it having to come together for two weeks. That’s really hard to do. I feel like I’m playing just the same or if not better than I did at the end of last year.
“I think I’m serving better, I think I’m doing a lot of things better. That’s why I’ve had good results. Sometimes it doesn’t quite all align when you need it to.”
