Jessica Pegula suffers stunning first-round defeat in Wimbledon
Cocciaretto, a 24-year-old Italian ranked No. 116 in the world, defeated the No. 3 seed 6-2, 6-3 in an efficient 58 minutes. Pegula was coming off the Bad Hamburg tournament title on grass, where she beat Iga Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam winner, in the final.
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Pegula, 31, is the daughter of Buffalo Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula. She was born in Buffalo but moved with her family to Boca Raton, Florida when she was 13 years old.
"She played absolutely incredible tennis," Pegula said of Cocciaretto. "Do I think I played the best match ever? No. But I definitely don't think I was playing bad. It wasn't like I was playing that bad.
"She just was hitting her shots and going for it, serving big, serving high percentage, going big second serves, redirecting the ball. It was just her day, I honestly think."
Pegula had just five winners in the match, made 24 unforced errors, and didn't convert a single break point. It was her first opening round defeat at a Grand Slam since the 2020 French Open.
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With the victory, Cocciaretto became the first Italian woman to beat a top 3 seed at Wimbledon in the Open Era and to defeat a WTA Top-3 player at any major since the 2015 US Open.
Where is Jessica Pegula from?
Jessica Pegula was born in Buffalo, New York, on Feb. 24, 1994. She has four siblings, including two from her father's previous marriage.
Who is Jessica Pegula married to?
Jessica Pegula married Taylor Gahagen in October 2021 on the famous Biltmore Estate. The couple lives in Boca Raton, Florida.
Does Jessica Pegula have outside interests?
Jessica Pegula and Taylor Gahagen are both dog lovers and have a foundation called A Lending Paw, which teaches rescue dogs to be service animals.
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Taylor also serves as vice president of Jessica's skincare company, Ready 24, that markets beauty products for people with active lifestyles.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jessica Pegula loses in Wimbledon 2025 to No. 116 Cocciaretto
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