Worst Result of Year' for Pegula

116th-ranked Cocciaretto upsets American with 'incredible' tennis; Zheng also out

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LONDON – Third seed Jessica Pegula admitted that her shock straight-set defeat by Italy's Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the Wimbledon first round on July 1 was her "worst result of the year".

The American was demolished 6-2, 6-3 by the world No. 116 in just 58 minutes on Court Two.

It was a bitter blow for the 2024 US Open finalist, who has never been past the quarter-finals at the All England Club. Fresh off a title in Bad Homburg, she was tipped for a deep run at Wimbledon.

But the 31-year-old, playing with heavy knee strapping, looked uncomfortable throughout her underwhelming display.

She managed just half her first serves, struck only five winners, and racked up 24 unforced errors in a tentative display that lacked her usual fighting spirit.

"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.