Coco Gauff Spared but Jessica Pegula Puts Grand Slam Champion in Misery Over Wimbledon Loss

Wimbledon isn’t just another Slam; the third of the four slams is soaked in prestige, tradition, and pressure. With little time to adjust to grass, even the best can stumble. That was the story on Centre Court, where Coco Gauff, fresh off her Paris triumph, made a shocking 1st-round exit. But for America’s last men’s US Open champion, Andy Roddick, the bigger jolt came elsewhere. While Gauff’s loss was tough, it was Jessica Pegula’s stunning defeat on Court 2 that truly rattled him. Calling it one of the tournament’s major upsets, Roddick was left stunned as Pegula’s Wimbledon journey came crashing down on Day 1. 

As Novak Djokovic commanded Centre Court, former top seed Andy Roddick took the mic for his “QUICK SERVED: Wimbledon Day 2” segment, offering blistering takes on Dayana Yastremska’s stunning performance against Coco Gauff. “Coco Gauff loses to Dayana Yastremska. We told you that was going to be a tough one,” he began. “Coco, it’s just game styles, right? Like she’s great at what she does. The most challenging surface is going to be grass, especially against a big hitter like Yastremska. She needed a comfortable matchup in the first couple rounds to kind of get her feet under or get the feel for grass.”

He empathized with Gauff’s disappointment, but added another perspective to it. “But you know what I’ll tell you, I know she’s gonna say this is like the worst thing ever and this is like super upsetting and it probably—she probably feels that way. You tell her a month ago, you know what? You win Roland Garros. I don’t know what happens for the rest of the year. You might lose first round of every tournament. Guess what she does? She’s cool with it. She signs that contract. So, there’s no criticism for Coco Gauff right now.”

However, when the topic shifted to Jessica Pegula, Roddick’s tone shifted from understanding to disbelief. Of all the results to unfold at SW19 so far, this was the one that truly stunned him. “The Pegula one is the most shocking result of the first two days for me,” he said. “Because her game is made for grass. Like she’s a ball striker, moves around, low center of gravity, shot tolerance is great. That one’s shocking to me.”

To understand the weight of Andy Roddick’s reaction, we first need to grasp the broader context. Heading into Wimbledon 2025, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula were America’s brightest hopes to hoist the women’s singles trophy. Both seeded in the top three, they carried expectations not just of deep runs, but of championship contention. Yet, by the end of Day 2, both dreams had crumbled stunningly.

It began with the tournament’s biggest upset yet, No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula crashing out in under an hour. She fell 6-2, 6-3 to Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto, ranked 116 in the world. The shock had barely settled when the unthinkable happened: No. 2 seed Coco Gauff was also bounced from Wimbledon’s opening round, losing 7-6(3), 6-1 to Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska. Just weeks after lifting the French Open title, Gauff joined a rare and unwanted club, becoming only the third woman in the Open era to lose in the Wimbledon first round after winning Roland Garros.

Roddick’s analysis honed in on game styles and preparation, and while Gauff’s grass résumé is lighter, her career record now sits at 21-11 (65%), Pegula’s defeat arguably stings more. With a 33-23 grass-court record (58.9%), Pegula has not only logged more matches but had also recently triumphed on the surface.

What added to the shock was their respective build-ups. Gauff played just one grass match before SW19, falling in the R16 in Berlin. Pegula, by contrast, arrived at the All England Club with momentum, having just lifted her second grass-court title at Bad Homburg. Yet, against Cocciaretto, she couldn’t find her rhythm, bowing out in a brisk 58 minutes on No. 2 Court.

As Wimbledon marches on without its American headliners, Pegula, especially, must now reassess her blueprint for future grass campaigns. The tools are there, the game, the grit, the grass pedigree. But the execution? That remains the puzzle to solve on the storied lawns of SW19.

Jessica Pegula shares a strong opinion on Grand Slam rules

World top seed Aryna Sabalenka recently weighed in on the long-running debate about women playing best-of-five set matches at Grand Slams. “I think it’s too much on the woman’s body. We are not ready for this amount of tennis,” she said, echoing a sentiment that continues to spark conversation. While epic five-set battles like Carlos Alcaraz vs. Jannik Sinner in Paris electrify fans, the same extended format remains unlikely for the women’s tour, for reasons both physical and practical.

Now, American star and World No. 3 Jessica Pegula has added her voice to the debate, following her shocking first-round exit at Wimbledon. In her post-match press conference, Pegula was asked whether she’d be interested in playing best-of-five. Her response was clear and bold: “Would I want to play three out of five? No.”

She continued, offering a twist of perspective that turned heads. “I think I would rather the men play two out of three! I don’t think we all need to start playing three out of five. To me, it’s just too long and I personally lose interest watching the matches.”

For Pegula, the issue goes beyond tradition, it’s about engagement. “‘Do we really need that?’ I don’t know. Some people love it. I personally will not watch a full five-hour match. People can’t even hold their attention long enough they say these days with phones, how are they holding their attention to five hours? I don’t know, but it’s just not my thing.”

Now, as Wimbledon continues under the London sun and the green lawns of SW19 bear witness to more twists and turns, Pegula’s take adds a bold chapter to the conversation. And with Day 3 on the horizon, fans wonder, who will shake the draw next? 

Stay tuned for every serve, shock, and storyline from the Championships.