Jessica Pegula, the world’s richest tennis player and World No. 3, suffered a shocking early exit at Wimbledon on Tuesday. Falling 6-2, 6-3 to Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto in just 58 minutes. The result marks Pegula’s earliest Grand Slam exit since the 2020 French Open and a crushing blow to her Wimbledon hopes.
Pegula, daughter of Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula, came into the tournament riding high after defeating Iga Swiatek in the Bad Homburg final. But the American struggled from the outset, committing 24 unforced errors and landing just five winners.
An Unexpected Collapse on Centre Stage
Despite high expectations following her quarterfinal run at Wimbledon in 2023, Pegula looked far from her best. A nagging knee injury may have played a role in her lackluster showing against the world No. 116. Even so, her early defeat remains one of the tournament’s biggest upsets so far.
While Pegula walks away with a £66,000 ($90.7K) consolation check, Cocciaretto earns a well-deserved £99,000 ($136.1K) and a spot in the second round.
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Cocciaretto’s Wimbledon Moment to Shine
Elisabetta Cocciaretto, 23, was emotional after her win, calling it a “dream come true.”
“To play here in such an unbelievable tournament and such an unbelievable stadium is a dream come true for me,” she said. “I was so pumped to play Wimbledon this year… I tried to be more aggressive, and I think I did a great job today.”
The Italian has had a challenging year, including a month-and-a-half illness that delayed her return. But on Tuesday, she showed exactly why she belongs among tennis’ elite.
As for Jessica Pegula, the loss will sting not just for the result, but for the questions it raises about her Grand Slam ceiling and health moving forward.
Stay tuned for more updates as the Wimbledon action continues.
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