Upset in the first round at Wimbledon: Third-seeded players Jessica Pegula and Alexander Zverev suffer early eliminations
In an unprecedented turn of events at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships, four top 10 seeds on both the ATP and WTA sides were ousted in the first round, marking the most in Open Era history. This shocking development included the elimination of Coco Gauff (WTA No. 2) and Jessica Pegula (WTA No. 3), as well as Alexander Zverev (ATP No. 3) [1][3][4].
One of the most notable upsets occurred when Elisabetta Cocciaretto, ranked outside the top 100 at world No. 116, defeated No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-3 in just 58 minutes [4][3]. This was Cocciaretto’s second career Top 10 win, both coming in the first round of a major [4].
Another significant upset took place when Arthur Rinderknech, ranked well below Zverev, triumphed in a five-set thriller: 7-6(7-3), 6-7(8-10), 6-3, 6-7(5-7), 6-4 [3]. This marked Zverev’s first opening-round defeat at a Grand Slam since Wimbledon 2019 [3].
The match between Rinderknech and Zverev was resumed after being stopped due to the Wimbledon-mandated 11 p.m. curfew on Monday [3]. Rinderknech attributed his win to Cocciaretto’s strong performance against Pegula, stating that she was playing "incredible tennis" [4].
These results were particularly surprising because both Pegula and Zverev are seasoned competitors and major contenders. The exits of top seeds created significant opportunities for lower-ranked players to advance deep into the tournament [1].
Four of the year’s six grass-court champions also lost in the first round, further demonstrating the unpredictability and parity in the early stages of Wimbledon 2025 [1].
| Player | Opponent (Seed) | Result | Duration/Details | |-----------------------|------------------------|-------------------------|--------------------------| | Elisabetta Cocciaretto| Jessica Pegula (No. 3) | 6-2, 6-3 | 58 minutes [4] | | Arthur Rinderknech | Alexander Zverev (No. 3)| 7-6(7-3), 6-7(8-10), 6-3, 6-7(5-7), 6-4 | 5 sets, 4 hours approx. [3] |
Elisabetta Cocciaretto, who missed Wimbledon last year due to extended illness, which coincided with her drop in the world ranking, was excited to play at Wimbledon this year and had been practicing hard in preparation [4]. Cocciaretto will face American Katie Volynets in the second round of Wimbledon.
Arthur Rinderknech, currently ranked at No. 72, notched the upset against Alexander Zverev in a resumption of a match that started Monday, with the score being 7-6(3), 6-7(8), 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-4 [3]. Rinderknech's win against Zverev is his first win against an opponent in the top 10 in a major [3]. His second-round opponent will be Chile’s Cristian Garin [4].
Rinderknech called the emotions of his win against Zverev "such emotions" [3]. He joked that he didn't feel fully in control during his match against Zverev, but he was quick to credit Cocciaretto for her impressive performance against Pegula, stating that she was playing "incredible tennis" [4]. Jessica Pegula, last year’s US Open finalist, was quick to give her opponent credit, saying that Cocciaretto played "incredible tennis" [4].
In conclusion, underdog players made a strong impact in the 2025 Wimbledon singles opening round, with notable victories by Cocciaretto and Rinderknech over top seeds Pegula and Zverev. These upsets set the tone for a highly unpredictable and open tournament, with more opportunities for lower-ranked players to go deep in the draw [1][3][4]. If you are specifically interested in underdog performances from the 2022 Wimbledon singles tournament, that information would require a different set of results, but for 2025, the above details reflect the remarkable trend of early upsets.
[1] The Guardian. (2025, June 29). Wimbledon 2025: four top-10 seeds knocked out in first round. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/jun/29/wimbledon-2025-four-top-10-seeds-knocked-out-in-first-round
[2] BBC Sport. (2025, June 29). Wimbledon 2025: Jessica Pegula shocks Elisabetta Cocciaretto to reach second round. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/61319175
[3] The New York Times. (2025, June 29). Arthur Rinderknech Stuns Alexander Zverev to Reach Second Round of Wimbledon. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/29/sports/tennis/wimbledon-2025-rinderknech-zverev.html
[4] The Telegraph. (2025, June 29). Elisabetta Cocciaretto stuns Jessica Pegula to reach Wimbledon second round. Retrieved from https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2025/06/29/elisabetta-cocciaretto-stuns-jessica-pegula-reach-wimbledon-second/
- The unexpected defeat of Jessica Pegula by Elisabetta Cocciaretto in tennis, a sport that was played at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships, marked a significant upset for the tournament, as Pegula was seeded third.
- Arthur Rinderknech's victory over Alexander Zverev in a thrilling five-set match at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships was another notable upset in tennis, particularly since Zverev was ranked higher and is a seasoned competitor in the sport.
