Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula Make History…and Not In A Good Way

Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula made history at Wimbledon on Tuesday….and not in a good way.

No. 2 seed Gauff, the reigning Roland Garros championand No. 3 Pegula – the two top-ranked American women – were swept out of the tournament in the first round.

Both lost in straight sets, marking the first time in the Open Era that two of the top three seeds have been ousted in the first round of a Grand Slam.

No. 5 No. 5 seed Zheng Qinwen lost earlier in the day, meaning three of the top five women are out on Day 2.

Gauff looked overwhelmed and out of sorts in her 7-6(3), 6-1 loss to world No. 42 Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine tin 1 hour and 19 minutes. She won her second Grand Slam singles title at Roland Garros last month but has gone 0-2 since.

“Coming off a win and having to play at Wimbledon, I definitely learned a lot of what I would and would not do again,” she told reporters.

Gauff, who made the media rounds including appearing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon after the French Open, said she felt “a bit overwhelmed with everything that came afterwards.”

“I didn’t feel like I had enough time to celebrate and also get back into it,” she said. “But it’s the first time in this experience. Coming off a win and having to play at Wimbledon. I definitely learned a lot of what I would and would not do again. But yeah, also, she played great. I saw the draw and knew it would be a tough match for me. I played her on clay and that surface suits me a bit better and it was still a tough 3 setter. I knew today would be tough. I had chances but it is what it is.”

Asked what specifically she would do differently, Gauff said:

“I would say whether I would play Berlin or not again, if that were to happen again with the French Open. Because I only practiced two days. I don’t know. I just feel like this surface I could’ve used more matches maybe. It’s like finding the puzzle. I don’t usually like to play the week before. It’s a quick turnaround. Trying to learn on if it’s better to train more and then play Bad Homburg or Eastbourne. If that time comes around again, I’ll approach it differently. I don’t think it was all that, either. Dayana played great. I felt like I wasn’t playing terrible in some points and she was hitting winners. It’s a combination of everything. This tournament for me is also based off my first round match and my draw. Having someone that can strike the ball as well as she can is definitely difficult coming in.”

Yastremska had been 0-3 against Gauff coming in.

“It was a bit tricky match,” Yastremska said. “I was actually on fire.

“I really, really enjoyed playing on Court 1. I have good memories from this court, even though last year I lost there to Donna Vekic. I still have a nice memory. This court brings me a lot of energy. I really felt it today.”

Pegula, Gauff’s sometimes doubles partner, was blown off the court by world No. 116 Elisabetta Cocciaretto, 6-2, 6-3. The Italian became the first man or woman from her country to defeat a top-3 seed at Wimbledon since the Open Era began in 1968.

The American was coming off a win on grass at Bad Homburg, Germany, where she beat former world No.1 Iga Swiatek in the final.

“She played absolutely incredible tennis,” Said Pegula. “Do I think I played the best match ever? No. But I definitely don’t think I was playing bad. It wasn’t like I was playing that bad.

“She just was hitting her shots and going for it, serving big, serving high percentage, going big second serves, redirecting the ball. It was just her day, I honestly think.”

Pegula’s five games were the second fewest for a top-3 seed in the first round in Wimbledon history.

“[I told myself to] be more aggressive and go for it,” said Cocciaretto. “Don’t think about losing or winning the point.”

With Gauff and Pegula both now out of Wimbledon, the draw opens up for other players to make deep runs.

The Americans, meantime, must look ahead to the summer hardcourt swing and the U.S. Open later this summer.

Gauff won the Open in 2023, and Pegula reached the final last year, losing to Aryna Sabalenka.

“It’s really a bummer to lose,” Pegula said. “… I’m upset that I wasn’t able to turn anything around. But at the same time, I do feel like she played kind of insane. Kudos to her.”