LONDON — Jessica Pegula suffered a surprising early exit at Wimbledon on Tuesday, falling 6-2, 6-3 in the first round to Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto, ranked 116th in the world. The loss marks Pegula’s earliest departure from a Grand Slam in five years.
The American, seeded No. 3 at the tournament, had entered the All England Club with momentum, having captured the title at the Bad Homburg Open over the weekend. She had defeated world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in straight sets in that final, signaling strong form on grass.
Pegula hadn’t lost in the opening round of a major since the 2020 French Open. Tuesday’s defeat also ends a strong Wimbledon run that included a quarterfinal appearance just last year. Her only previous first-round loss at the event came in her debut in 2019.
Cocciaretto, 24, played with confidence and aggression, converting pressure into points throughout the match. “I told myself to be bold, to play freely and not worry about the score,” she said in her post-match interview. “Jessica is such a great player and a role model — I feel honored to have played her.”
Despite her loss, Pegula has had a strong season overall, reaching five singles finals — a number bettered only by Aryna Sabalenka, who has appeared in seven.
Pegula struggled with consistency during the match, hitting just five winners while committing 24 unforced errors. Cocciaretto, meanwhile, notched her first-ever victory over a top-5 opponent — a milestone moment in her career.
