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.

The turnaround in just a year is staggering—Cocciaretto looked like a completely different player, more agile, more composed, and tactically sharper. She frequently used low, skidding shots to neutralize Pegula’s flat baseline drives, forcing errors rather than going for outright winners. Her backhand, often her strongest shot, was particularly effective on the run, redirecting pace and exposing Pegula’s slower footwork on grass.

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.

While most clay-court specialists struggle to translate their games to grass, Cocciaretto has bucked that trend with improved footwork, shortened swing mechanics, and aggressive return positioning. She’s also worked closely with coach Fausto Scolari in the lead-up to Wimbledon, specifically on serve placement and adjusting her court positioning against flat hitters like Pegula.

In fact, only three Italian women have made deeper runs at Wimbledon in the Open Era—Francesca Schiavone (2012 quarterfinals), Camila Giorgi (2018 quarterfinals), and Karin Knapp (third round)—which puts Cocciaretto in rare company as she eyes a potential breakthrough.

“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 illness not only derailed her momentum but also cost her almost six months of consistent tour-level tennis. During that period, she struggled to find rhythm, switching coaches and dealing with the emotional weight of watching peers overtake her in rankings. Her comeback this grass season has been a product of both physical grit and mental recalibration. Off-court, she’s also known for her close bond with Italy’s Billie Jean King Cup team, often leaning on teammates like Jasmine Paolini and Martina Trevisan for emotional support.

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!