Wimbledon 2023 continued shocking results in the first round of the major tournament as several high-profile players were upset and eliminated from the tournament. Then you had Alexander Zverev, Coco Gauff, Zheng Qinwen, and Jessica Pegula all losing in shocking fashion. These big-name, high-impact losses have sent shockwaves through the college football world.
For the Germans, German tennis star and Olympic gold medalist Alexander Zverev took on Arthur Rinderknech in a shootout. The final stretched the boundaries, going an incredible four hours, 40 minutes. Zverev has never won a title on grass before and has never made it past the last 16 at Wimbledon. After the match, he exhibited a torrent of feelings. Though he first dropped to the court on his knees in celebration, out on court it was indeed Rinderknech who was celebrating his heady victory.
In the run-up to Wimbledon, Zverev reaffirmed his prowess by reaching the final in Stuttgart. He had an impressive run to the semi-finals in Halle. The impact of his premature departure disappointment still loomed large. He expressed his feelings candidly, stating, “I feel generally speaking quite alone in life at the moment, which is a feeling that is not very nice.” He added, “Maybe. Maybe for the first time in my life I’ll probably need it,” referring to the possibility of seeking therapy.
Gauff lost a big upset earlier in the tournament when she lost to Dayana Yastremska. That came as the American player had a rough day on the court, double-faulting nine times and finally giving in, 7-6, 6-1. Gauff’s performance raised questions about her mental fortitude on such a significant stage.
Beyond her excellent shotmaking, Dayana Yastremska got caught up in her own emotional journey during the match, thinking back on how far she’d come on the same court. “That gave me more chance — I played the junior final on this court (she lost), there are lots of memories,” she said, emphasizing the emotional connection she feels to the venue.
Zheng Qinwen had a hard-fought match against Katerina Siniakova. Although ranked 81st in the world, Siniakova is a three-time champion at the All England Club in doubles. Despite her recent success of reaching at least the quarter-finals in her last three events leading up to Wimbledon, Qinwen struggled against Siniakova, losing 7-5, 4-6, 6-1.
Jessica Pegula’s surprise departure from the tournament was just the latest in a surprising series. She lost to compatriot Elisabetta Cocciaretto in a match that she described as disappointing. “For this to happen today, it’s disappointing. I don’t know how else to put it,” Pegula said after the match. She graciously conceded to her opponent’s excellent campaign, saying, “I’m disappointed that I wasn’t able to flip anything around. All that said, I do feel like she played a little nuts. Hats off to her.
Defending champ Iga Swiatek made short work of Katerina Siniakova to advance. At the same time, some other big favorites faltered and were eliminated in the first rounds.
Opening day eliminations from Wimbledon 2023 left tennis fans stunned. It did not come without great emotional cost to many of tennis’s greatest stars. Now fans can’t wait to see how these players bounce back. They wonder how much, if at all, their opponents will change their approach against them at future tournaments.
