LONDON — Third-seeded Jessica Pegula was upset in the first round at Wimbledon on Tuesday, losing 6-2, 6-3 to 116th-ranked Elisabetta Cocciaretto for the American's earliest exit at a Grand Slam tournament in five years.
Pegula, the world No. 3, came into the All England Club having won the the grass-court Bad Homburg Open in Germany on Saturday when she beat Iga Swiatek in straight sets.
The last time she lost in the first round at a major tournament was the French Open in 2020.
Cocciaretto, whose ranking has dipped in recent months, told herself to "be more aggressive and go for it, don't think about losing or winning the point."
"I played a really great champion. She's an unbelievable player, she's a great example for all of us," the 24-year-old Italian said in her on-court interview after her first career top-5 victory.
Pegula, quarterfinalist at Wimbledon in 2023, hit only five winners and made 24 unforced errors.
Her only other first-round loss at the All England Club was in her debut in 2019.
Pegula has reached five singles finals this year — second only to top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka's seven.
