Marketa Vondrousova Upset: Bouzas Maneiro Ends Title Defense

Marketa Vondrousova suffered a surprising early exit from Wimbledon, falling to Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the first round. The Czech player, who stunned with an unseeded victory last year, struggled with errors and double faults, succumbing 6-4, 6-2 to her 21-year-old opponent. Bouzas Maneiro, ranked 83rd in the world, celebrated her maiden Grand Slam win and expressed gratitude to fans for the memorable experience at Wimbledon. Vondrousova’s defeat marks the first time since 1994 that the defending women’s champion lost in Wimbledon’s opening round. The loss also ensures a new women’s singles champion for the seventh consecutive year, with Serena Williams being the last to successfully defend her title in 2016.

Meanwhile, world number one Iga Swiatek eased through her first-round match with a comfortable 6-3, 6-4 win over Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion. Swiatek broke Kenin’s serve early and will face Petra Martic in the next round. Former Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki also progressed, dispatching Alycia Parks 6-2, 6-0 in just 53 minutes. In other matches, last year’s finalist Ons Jabeur dominated her match against Moyuka Uchijima, winning 6-3, 6-1. Bouzas Maneiro, reveling in the victory over Marketa Vondrousova, will next face compatriot Cristina Bucsa.

Elsewhere, Jessica Pegula swiftly advanced to the second round with a 6-2, 6-0 win over Ashlyn Krueger, while Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion, secured a convincing 6-3, 6-1 victory over Elena-Gabriela Ruse. Rybakina expressed relief and happiness at winning her first match after struggling with health issues this season.