Collected image

LONDON, July 1, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - American third seed Jessica Pegula admitted 
her shock straight-sets defeat against Italy's Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the 
Wimbledon first round was her "worst result of the year".

Pegula was demolished 6-2, 6-3 by the world number 116 in just 58 minutes on 
Court Two on Tuesday.

It was a bitter blow for the 2024 US Open finalist, who has never been past 
the quarter-finals at the All England Club.

The 31-year-old played with heavy strapping on her right knee and never 
looked comfortable in a lacklustre performance.

"She played incredible tennis. Do I think I played the best match ever? No. 
But I wasn't that bad. It was just her day today," Pegula said.

"I think I could have served better but I was having trouble with the 
conditions. It was very humid and the court was slow.

"I tried my best to match her level and I thought I would close the gap in 
the second set. But she didn't drop her level at all. She was forcing a lot 
of my errors."

Since losing last year's US Open final against Aryna Sabalenka, world number 
three Pegula has been eliminated before the quarter-finals in all three of 
her Grand Slam appearances.

"It's probably the worst result I've had all year. I haven't lost in the 
first round of a Slam for a long time. That sucks," she said.

"I feel like I'm playing as well as I was at the end of last year. But it's 
hard to put it all together over two weeks. Sometimes it doesn't align.

"I managing the knee and I have a bit of a neck injury as well. But I feel 
good overall. That's why it's disappointing.

"The most frustrating thing was I wasn't able to figure it out, which I feel 
I should be able to."

It was only Cocciaretto's second win against a top-10 player.

The 24-year-old has never been past the third round at Wimbledon and her best 
Grand Slam performance was a run to the last 16 at last year's French Open.