Tennis just witnessed one of the most shocking upsets in Wimbledon history, and Elisabetta Cocciaretto’s name is now permanently etched in the record books. The 24-year-old Italian, ranked a lowly 116th in the world, absolutely demolished third-seeded Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-3 in a first-round masterclass that left the tennis world speechless.
This wasn’t just another early-round upset – this was a complete demolition job that took less than an hour and created multiple pieces of tennis history. When a player ranked outside the top 100 can make a top-three seed look completely helpless on grass, you know you’ve witnessed something truly special.
The historic achievement that nobody saw coming
Cocciaretto just accomplished something that hadn’t been done since the Open Era began in 1968 – she became the first Italian, male or female, to defeat a top-three seed at Wimbledon. That’s 57 years of tennis history, and she’s the one who finally broke through that barrier.
The magnitude of this achievement becomes even more impressive when you consider the context. This wasn’t a gradual buildup where Cocciaretto had been threatening upsets for months. Her ranking had actually been dipping recently, making this victory come completely out of nowhere.
Italian tennis hasn’t seen this kind of breakthrough moment at Wimbledon since the tournament’s modern era began. The last time any Italian defeated a WTA top-three ranked player at any major was back at the 2015 US Open semifinals, when Roberta Vinci and Flavia Pennetta both pulled off stunning victories.
The demolition that left Pegula stunned
Pegula entered Wimbledon riding high after capturing her ninth career title in Bad Homburg, where she defeated former world number one Iga Swiatek in the final. That grass-court victory should have been the perfect preparation for Wimbledon, but instead it made this first-round exit even more shocking.
The match statistics tell the brutal story of what happened on Court 18. Pegula managed just five winners while committing 24 unforced errors, a ratio that spells disaster at any level of tennis. Her second serve, typically a strength, won only 42% of points against Cocciaretto’s aggressive returning.
Perhaps most telling was how few games Pegula actually won. Her five total games represent the second-fewest by any women’s top-three seed in an opening match at Wimbledon since 1968. Only Martina Hingis in 1999 had a worse showing, winning just two games in her shocking first-round exit.
Cocciaretto’s fearless strategy that changed everything
What made this upset so impressive was how Cocciaretto approached the biggest match of her career. Instead of playing conservatively and hoping Pegula would beat herself, the Italian went full-throttle aggressive from the opening point.
Her strategy was beautifully simple yet devastatingly effective: serve big, take massive swings on second serves, redirect the ball aggressively, and never let Pegula settle into any kind of rhythm. When you’re facing a top-three seed, sometimes the only way to win is to play without fear of consequences.
Cocciaretto’s mindset was perfect for the moment. She focused on being more aggressive and going for her shots rather than worrying about winning or losing individual points. That kind of fearless tennis is exactly what creates major upsets when everything clicks.
The serve that became a weapon
One of the most surprising aspects of Cocciaretto’s victory was how effectively she served throughout the match. Her first serve percentage was excellent, but more importantly, she was absolutely crushing her second serves instead of playing it safe.
This aggressive serving approach put constant pressure on Pegula, who never felt comfortable in return games. When you’re hitting big second serves against a top player, it completely changes the dynamic of the match and prevents them from taking control of points early.
The Italian’s willingness to go for broke on serve, especially on second serves, demonstrated the kind of calculated risk-taking that separates good upsets from historic ones. Sometimes you have to risk double faults to create winners.
Pegula’s nightmare day on the grass
For Pegula, this defeat represented her earliest Grand Slam exit since the 2020 French Open, ending a remarkable streak of 17 consecutive first-round victories at majors since 2021. That kind of consistency makes this loss even more shocking and disappointing.
The American’s frustration was evident when discussing her serving performance afterward. She had been working extensively on her serve, expecting it to be a weapon on grass courts, but instead it completely abandoned her when she needed it most.
Despite wearing protective tape on her left knee due to a previous injury, Pegula insisted that physical issues weren’t a factor in her defeat. The knee felt good, which makes the loss even more puzzling and disappointing for the 31-year-old.
The rankings reality that makes this historic
The ranking differential between these players makes this upset even more remarkable. When a world number 116 defeats a world number three in straight sets at a Grand Slam, it represents one of the biggest ranking gaps in major upset history.
Cocciaretto’s recent ranking slide had made her an even more unlikely candidate for this kind of breakthrough. Players ranked outside the top 100 simply don’t walk onto Centre Court at Wimbledon and dismantle top seeds in under an hour.
The fact that Pegula had defeated Cocciaretto in their only previous meeting, also at Wimbledon in 2023, makes this reversal even more stunning. Sometimes tennis can be completely unpredictable, and this match proved that rankings mean nothing once you step on the court.
What this means for both careers
For Cocciaretto, this victory represents a potential career-defining moment that could launch her to new heights. Defeating a top-three seed at Wimbledon on international television gives her credibility and confidence that could transform her entire approach to tennis.
The Italian now faces American Katie Volynets in the second round, where she’ll try to prove this wasn’t just a one-match miracle. Sometimes breakthrough victories like this can trigger extended runs that change a player’s career trajectory forever.
For Pegula, this loss serves as a harsh reminder that nothing is guaranteed in tennis, no matter how good your recent form might be. The challenge now is bouncing back from this disappointment and using it as motivation for future tournaments.
This Wimbledon upset will be remembered as the day when Elisabetta Cocciaretto announced herself to the tennis world in the most spectacular way possible, proving that on any given day, anyone can make history at the sport’s most prestigious venues.
