On a blistering Tuesday at the All England Club, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner displayed remarkable composure, advancing to the second round with a comprehensive 6-4, 6-3, 6-0 victory over compatriot Luca Nardi. Amidst sweltering temperatures and chaotic results, Sinner remained unfazed — his dominance fueled by a near-flawless first serve that conceded only four points — signaling his clear intent to bounce back from the emotional fatigue following his French Open final loss.
Sinner’s performance was a stark contrast to a historic wave of early upsets: a record-equalling 23 seeds fell at this year’s Wimbledon — 13 men and 10 women — marking the strongest bonfire of favourites since the 32‑seed system was introduced in 2001.
High-profile casualties: Gauff, Pegula & Zverev
Coco Gauff (No. 2 women’s seed)
Fresh off her Roland Garros triumph, American Coco Gauff suffered a shock exit, losing 7‑6(3), 6‑1 to Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska. Gauff was emotional post-match, lamenting her lack of preparation on grass and the fast turnaround from clay — “I feel like mentally I was a little bit overwhelmed … I didn’t feel I had enough time to celebrate and also get back into it.” Her emotional performance reflected underlying self-doubt during the transition.
Jessica Pegula (No. 3 women’s seed)
Following Gauff’s exit, Pegula also fell in round one, succumbing 6‑2, 6‑3 to Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto. This upset deprived the women’s draw of two Top 3 seeds for the first time in the Open Era — an indication of how unpredictable the tournament has become.
Alexander Zverev (No. 3 men’s seed)
German third seed Alexander Zverev endured a brutal five-set loss to France’s Arthur Rinderknech, ultimately defeated 4‑6 in a 4-hour, 40‑minute battle. Zverev, who set a new record for most five-set matches in the first week of a Grand Slam since 1973, appeared emotionally spent. “I feel lonely in life at the moment … I never felt this way before,” he confessed — a revealing glimpse into his off-court struggles.
Record-breaking upset spree
The day shattered traditional seed stability: 13 men’s seeds and 9 women’s seeds bowed out on the first day of their matches, producing the highest single‑day total of Top‑10 seed exits at a Grand Slam in the professional era.
Aside from Zverev, other early shocks included:
- Lorenzo Musetti (No. 7), defeated by qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili
- Holger Rune (No. 8) and Daniil Medvedev (No. 9), both eliminated on Monday
- Lorenzo Musetti, Ugo Humbert, Denis Shapovalov, Alexander Bublik, and Alex Michelsen, among others.
In the women’s draw, alongside Gauff and Pegula:
- Qinwen Zheng (No. 5) lost a close first-round encounter
- Karolina Muchova, Marta Kostyuk, and Magdalena Frech also failed to progress.
This staggering fall of form recalls the infamous “Black Wednesday” of 2013 — a today of chaos that will be etched in Wimbledon’s modern lore.
Bright spots and homegrown hope
Amid the chaos, there were bright performances:
- Novak Djokovic, despite battling a stomach bug, powered past Alexandre Muller 6‑1, 6‑7(7), 6‑2, 6‑2, extending his flawless first-round record to 20‑0.
- Taylor Fritz survived a marathon five-setter against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard — a match notable for Perricard’s record-breaking 153 mph serve.
- British players celebrated a strong home showing: Jack Draper won after Sebastian Baez retired injured, while Jack Pinnington‑Jones earned a memorable debut victory. Through two days, 10 Brits have reached the second round — marking a resurgence for home support.
- On the women’s side, Barbora Krejcikova, the defending champion, recovered from a horror first set to defeat Alexandra Eala 3‑6, 6‑2, 6‑1, while Iga Swiatek and Mirra Andreeva also progressed smoothly.
What’s next?
As the draw rebuilds itself around a depleted field, favorites like Sinner and Djokovic gain paths of less resistance. Yet, with the balance of power upended, the tournament promises fireworks:
- Will Sinner maintain his ice-cold composure and convert it into grass-court success?
- Can Djokovic push toward a record 25th Grand Slam?
- Which unseeded disruptors will seize this historic opportunity?
One thing is certain: Wimbledon 2025 has delivered drama, unpredictability, and a reshaped competition landscape. With three days of play done, the narrative has shifted — and the bonfire of seeds may light the path for new legends.
