Wimbledon Shocker: Gauff, Pegula, Zverev Among Record Number of Seeds Ousted

Wimbledon has been hit by a series of stunning upsets, with a record-tying number of seeded players crashing out in the early rounds. The All England Club witnessed the departure of prominent names, including Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, and Alexander Zverev, sending shockwaves through the tournament.

French Open champion Coco Gauff suffered an unexpected first-round exit at Wimbledon, a rare occurrence for a Grand Slam winner. (AP)

The first two days of Wimbledon saw a staggering eight top-10 seeds eliminated, marking an Open Era record. In total, 23 seeds – 13 men and 10 women – have been ousted. This year's tournament is already one for the history books due to the sheer number of high-profile defeats.

The exit of both French Open champion Gauff and Pegula marks the first time in the Open Era that two of the top three seeds have been eliminated in the first round of a Grand Slam.

The 13 exits among the men's seeds is a Wimbledon record and matches the all-time Slam record from the 2004 Australian Open.

Alexander Zverev, a three-time Grand Slam finalist and No. 3 seed, was defeated by 72nd-ranked Arthur Rinderknech. Rinderknech entered the match with a modest 1-4 career record at the All England Club.

Seventh seed Lorenzo Musetti, a semi-finalist at Wimbledon last year, was ousted by qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili, ranked 126th.

However, the biggest shock came when World No. 2 Coco Gauff fell in straight sets (6-7, 1-6) to Dayana Yastremska. Pegula, the third seed, was defeated by 116th-ranked Elisabetta Cocciaretto in a swift 6-2, 6-3 loss.

Arthur Rinderknech celebrates after his stunning victory over Alexander Zverev in the first round at Wimbledon. (AP)

Rinderknech described his win over Zverev as an emotional moment. "It's my first top-five win, in the biggest stadium in the world," he said. "My legs are still shaking. I’m just so happy the match is finished.” The match, which spanned 4 hours and 40 minutes, was suspended on Monday and concluded on Tuesday.

Novak Djokovic, while ultimately victorious, revealed he relied on "miracle pills" to overcome a stomach issue during his first-round match.

Novak Djokovic receives treatment during a medical timeout in his first-round match at Wimbledon. (AP)

During his match, Djokovic received medical attention twice for a stomach problem. He credited the medication for helping him recover and secure the win against Alexandre Muller in four sets.

"I went from feeling my absolute best for about a set and a half to feeling my worst for roughly 45 minutes,” Djokovic explained. “After some doctor’s miracle pills, my energy bounced back, and I was able to finish the match on a positive note.”

Djokovic maintains a perfect 20-0 record in the first round at the All England Club, where he has won seven of his 24 Grand Slam titles.

Alexander Zverev expresses his frustration during his first-round match against Arthur Rinderknech at Wimbledon. (AP)

Zverev openly discussed his mental health struggles following his defeat. He admitted to feeling "very alone" on the court and expressed interest in seeking therapy.

"I feel, generally speaking, quite alone in life at the moment," Zverev said. "I've never felt this empty before. Just lacking joy, just lacking joy in everything that I do."

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova bid farewell to the All England Club after losing to Emma Navarro.

Petra Kvitova waves to the crowd after her final match at Wimbledon. (AP)

"This place holds the best memories I could wish for,” said Kvitova, who will retire after the US Open. “I never dreamed of winning a Wimbledon and I won it twice." She acknowledged the challenges of balancing motherhood and a professional tennis career.