American third seed Jessica Pegula mentioned her first-round Wimbledon exit was her “worst results of the 12 months” as she grew to become the very best seed to fall on the match to date.

Pegula was beneath par in a 6-2 6-3 defeat by Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto, ranked 113 locations beneath her at 116 on the earth.

The 31-year-old had heavy strapping on her proper knee however mentioned that didn’t hassle her as she was dismantled in simply 58 minutes on court docket two.

“That is undoubtedly in all probability the worst consequence I’ve had all 12 months,” she mentioned.

“I have been successful numerous matches. It is simply all about it having to return collectively for 2 weeks. Typically it would not fairly all align if you want it to.”

Pegula, recent from beating Iga Swiatek to win the title at Dangerous Homburg in Germany final week, was predicted to go far at Wimbledon.

However whereas she has lengthy lingered world wide’s high 10, constant progress at Grand Slam stage continues to elude her.

She has solely as soon as gone past the quarter-final stage of a significant – eventually 12 months’s US Open the place she misplaced to Aryna Sabalenka within the remaining.

Since then, Pegula has gone out earlier than the final eight in all three Grand Slam tournaments.

However this marks her worst efficiency at a significant because the 2020 French Open.

“I have never misplaced first spherical of a Slam in a really very long time, in order that sucks,” she mentioned.

“I used to sort of have bother getting previous the primary spherical for some time. I keep in mind I had a extremely powerful match and I simply informed myself, I am executed dropping first spherical, I am not dropping first spherical.

“It is disappointing. I do not understand how else to place it. I am upset that I wasn’t capable of flip something round.”

Cocciaretto had confronted Pegula at SW19 earlier than, a 6-4 6-0 defeat on the 2023 match.

However an error-strewn efficiency from the world quantity three allowed Cocciaretto, 24, to take benefit and safe her second profession win over a top-10 participant.

Issues unravelled shortly as Pegula was damaged within the third sport of the opening set on one other scorching day on the Championships.

The double break swiftly adopted and Cocciaretto wrapped up the opening set in simply 25 minutes.

The second adopted the same sample with Pegula dropping her serve within the seventh sport and letting out a cry of frustration earlier than bending over her racquet in exasperation as she ready to serve to remain within the match.

However she was unable to take action as a double fault and two lengthy forehands gave Cocciaretto three match factors – and she or he took the primary.

Pegula made 24 unforced errors and struggled on serve. She hit 5 winners and was unable to conjure a single break level all through the match.