Swiatek Progresses as Pegula and Zheng Exit Early in Wimbledon Upsets

Posted : 02 July 2025

On a blistering day at Wimbledon, world number one Iga Swiatek took a confident step forward in her quest to improve on her modest record at the All England Club. The five-time Grand Slam champion overcame a spirited first-set challenge from Russia’s Polina Kudermetova before accelerating to a 7-5, 6-1 victory in her opening match on Court 2. Despite the scorching conditions, with temperatures exceeding 33°C, Swiatek showed composure and resilience to set up a second-round meeting with American Caty McNally.

Kudermetova, playing her first Wimbledon main draw, surprised many by matching Swiatek from the baseline for much of the first set. It wasn’t until the final stages that Swiatek broke through, capitalising on her first break point to seal the set. From that moment, the dynamic of the match shifted dramatically. Kudermetova's resistance faded, and Swiatek raced through the second set in just 24 minutes, ending the contest with a blistering backhand winner.

Swiatek’s display comes amid ongoing efforts to conquer grass courts—a surface where she has yet to reach a semifinal at Wimbledon. The win was not just about progression but also about gaining confidence in a tournament where her past performances have often fallen short of expectations.

However, the day was marked by significant upsets elsewhere in the women’s draw. American third seed Jessica Pegula suffered a swift and surprising defeat, falling 6-2, 6-3 to Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto. The result marked another early Grand Slam exit for Pegula, who has struggled to reach the latter stages of majors since finishing as runner-up at the 2024 US Open. Playing with visible knee strapping, Pegula looked far from her best and was unable to counter Cocciaretto’s relentless baseline play. It was only the Italian’s second victory over a top-10 opponent.

Chinese fifth seed and Olympic gold medallist Zheng Qinwen was also sent packing in the first round, losing in three sets to Czech veteran Katerina Siniakova. Despite a strong showing in the second set, Zheng faltered in the decider as Siniakova, a three-time doubles champion at Wimbledon, used her grasscourt experience to full effect. Zheng, who was a finalist at this year’s Australian Open, has now suffered three consecutive first-round defeats at the All England Club.

Defending champion Barbora Krejcikova also faced a scare in her opening match but managed to turn things around after a slow start. Facing rising Filipina star Alexandra Eala, Krejcikova dropped the first set before storming back to win 3-6, 6-2, 6-1. The Czech, who has endured an injury-hit season, appeared rusty early on but improved significantly as the match progressed. With her powerful groundstrokes and improved consistency, Krejcikova reminded fans of the form that brought her the title last year.

Krejcikova’s win adds a glimmer of hope for her title defence, while Eala's impressive first set and recent Eastbourne final appearance suggest the 20-year-old is a rising talent to watch. For Swiatek, the journey continues with high expectations, while the early exits of Pegula and Zheng leave the women’s draw wide open.

Swiatek Progresses as Pegula and Zheng Exit Early in Wimbledon Upsets

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