LONDON: On Tuesday, five top 10 seeds, including China's Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, were eliminated in the first round of Wimbledon, highlighting a day of shocks and rising temperatures.
Zheng, the fifth seed in the women's singles draw, suffered her third straight first-round defeat at the grasscourt Grand Slam, losing to Czech doubles specialist Katerina Siniakova 7-5, 4-6, 6-1. The game was played as London baked in its hottest day of the year, with temperatures above 33 degrees Celsius.
I should have done better in my service games, said Zheng, who was broken twice after leading 5-3 in the first set. I don't believe the surface will be a difficulty for me. I simply had the impression that I should increase my level in my service games today.
Siniakova, 29, a ten-time women's doubles Grand Slam champion, will meet four-time major winner Naomi Osaka in the second round.
On a day full of shocks, second-seeded Coco Gauff and third-seeded Jessica Pegula were both eliminated from the women's singles.
Gauff, the current US Open champion and winner of last month's French Open, was defeated 7-6 (3), 6-1 by Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska.
I'm obviously disappointed with how the result turned out today, said Gauff, 21. Dayana began strong. I believe I was unable to locate my footing out there today.
Gauff, a three-time fourth-round finisher at Wimbledon, said, "I really do want to do well here. " I'm not someone who wants to write myself off as unsuccessful this early in my career, but I definitely need to make changes if I want to be successful here.
Pegula, meanwhile, was shocked by Italy's Elisabetta Cocciaretto, 6-2, 6-3, in only 58 minutes.
In the men's draw, Germany's third seed Alexander Zverev lost 7-6 (3), 6-7 (8), 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-4 to Arthur Rinderknech of France.
Rinderknech, 29, described the victory as the biggest of his career. When you're on Center Court at Wimbledon against a guy like Sascha, who's No. 3 in the world and has been there for the last probably ten years—such a consistent player—and it's in five sets, I can't really ask for more, he said.
Seventh-seeded Lorenzo Musetti of Italy also suffered a surprising loss, falling to Georgian qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1. However, Musetti's compatriot and world Top-ranked Jannik Sinner cruised past fellow Italian Luca Nardi 6-4, 6-2, 6-0.
In the final match on Center Court, 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic overcame a mid-match sickness to beat France's Alexandre Muller 6-1, 6-7 (7), 6-2, 6-2.
The 38-year-old Serbian revealed that he had been suffering from a stomach bug during the game. After taking some doctor's miracle pills, my energy returned, and I was able to finish the match on a good note, Djokovic said.
Monday's opening day also featured quick exits for No. 8 seed Holger Rune of Denmark and No. 9 seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia, both of whom were defeated in the first round.
