Jessica Pegula became another major casualty in the first round of the ongoing Wimbledon championships. Seeded third, the American was beaten in straight sets by Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto.
So, how did Pegula react to her unexpected loss? In her post-match press conference, the 31-year-old attributed her loss to her opponent’s superior tennis on the day.
What Jessica Pegula Said About Opponent’s Performance in Her Round 1 Loss at Wimbledon:
Once ranked as high as No. 29 in the world, Cocciaretto has fallen outside the top 80 due to a loss of form. After losing to the 24-year-old Italian in Round 1 of Wimbledon, Pegula said that the Italian played “incredible tennis,” which she was unable to counter.
The American said, “Do I think I was playing the best match ever? No. But I definitely don’t think I was playing bad. She just was hitting her shots and going for it, serving big, serving high percentage, going big second serves, redirecting the ball.”
A reporter asked Pegula whether such shocking exits are likelier on grass, which is considered one of her weaker surfaces.
“Yeah, I mean, maybe, it depends on who you are playing,” Pegula replied.
Commending her opponent’s affinity for grass, she added, “She (Cocciaretto) has good results on grass. She obviously likes the grass and has good results on it.”
“It (losing early) is definitely maybe higher possibility on a surface like that (grass) if the opponent really likes it,” added Pegula.
The Italian’s previous best result at Wimbledon came in 2023, when she lost to Pegula in the third round. Notably, Pegula had her best result at the major, a quarterfinal showing, in the same year.
The American further pointed out that she was unable to claw her way back into the encounter as the Italian did not allow her level to dip throughout the match.
“I tried my best to try and match her level, and I thought I was gonna be able to do it there, at least in the second (set) and maybe if she dropped a little bit. But she didn’t really drop her level at all. I think the most frustrating part was that I wasn’t able to figure it out,” Pegula added.
How Jessica Pegula Fared in the Lead Up to Wimbledon
Pegula entered Wimbledon in fine form. Days earlier, she won the Bad Homburg Open, a key grass court tune-up event ahead of the major. There, she dismantled former World No. 1 Świątek 6-4, 7-5 in the final.
Pegula has enjoyed a consistent, if not spectacular, season in 2025. The American reached the third round of the Australian Open and the fourth round at Roland Garros. She also made it to the final of the WTA 1000 event in Miami.
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Pegula has won thrice on the WTA Tour this year at the ATX Open in Austin, Texas, the Charleston Open, and Bad Homburg in Germany.
