Wimbledon Day 1 was already chaotic, with big names like Holger Rune, Daniil Medvedev, Paula Badosa, and Jelena Ostapenko all making early exits in what can only be described as a bloody Monday. Fans barely had time to process the drama before Day 2 picked up right where things left off. And the upsets are showing no signs of slowing down. In the very first match of the day, World No.3 Jessica Pegula joined the growing list of fallen stars.

Jessica Pegula came into Wimbledon riding high after lifting the title at Bad Homburg, where she beat Iga Swiatek in the final. But none of that momentum showed on the court today. She was stunned by World No. 116 Elisabetta Cocciaretto in straight sets. The match lasted just 58 minutes. Cocciaretto cruised to a 6-2, 6-3 win to deliver the biggest shock of the tournament so far.

It’s the first time Pegula has lost in the first round of any Grand Slam event since the 2020 French Open. The Italian played fearless tennis, stepping in early and taking the ball on the rise to absorb and redirect Pegula’s pace. She finished with 17 winners, while Pegula managed just five. Her serve was rock solid, too. Cocciaretto dropped only eight points on serve the entire match and never faced a single break point. On the other side, she broke 2023 Wimbledon quarterfinalist Pegula three times. It was as clinical as it gets. Ironically, she had been halted by Pegula in the third round in 2023, 6-4, 6-0.

This is only the second Top-10 win of her career, and both have come in the first round of a Grand Slam. Her first? A win over Petra Kvitova at Roland Garros in 2023. The 24-year-old has also been quietly building confidence on grass. She’s a two-time grass-court semifinalist, reaching the last four at Birmingham this year and again in s-Hertogenbosch just three weeks ago.

“I played with a player like her before. You have to do the best you can on the court and take the little chance they give you,” the 24-year-old said in her on-court interview. “I tried to do the positives I did in the other matches, be more aggressive and go for it. Don’t think about win or losing the point, just do your best. I think I did a great job today, I’m super happy.”

It’s been a bumpy ride for Elisabetta Cocciaretto. She was once ranked No.43, so what happened?

Jessica Pegula’s opponent reveals inspirational comeback journey

“I was so pumped to play Wimbledon this year,” Cocciaretto said in her on-court interview. “I couldn’t wait until the match started, I was practising so hard.”

Her extra motivation came from more than just a love for grass or the prestige of Wimbledon. A year ago, she missed the tournament entirely. Back then, she was ranked No.43. Today, she sits at No.116.

“I had a lot of stops last year. I was in the hospital and I was sick for one month,” she continued. “That’s why I couldn’t play here and that’s why I was so pumped … I don’t think too much about my ranking right now. The journey of tennis is long. You have to adapt yourself, you have to enjoy, but also you have upset in life.”

The result? Pegula’s 58-minute loss was the quickest defeat of a Top 5 seed at a Slam since Jule Niemeier’s 6-4, 6-0 win over Anett Kontaveit at Wimbledon 2022. Talk about a stunning return! Up next, Cocciaretto will face either Katy Volynets or Tatjana Maria in round two. Can she continue her dream journey at Wimbledon? Stay on top of every twist and turn in the Championships with our Live Blog!