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Stunning Wimbledon upset ousts defending champion in first round for first time in 30 years
Most tennis players could only dream about doing something 22-time Grand Slam singles champion Steffi Graf accomplished during her legendary career.
World No. 6 and defending Wimbledon singles champion Marketa Vondrousova joined Graf in an exclusive yet undesirable club on Tuesday, as she fell in a straight-set stunner against 21-year-old Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
WOW.
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) July 2, 2024
21yo Jessica Bouzas Maneiro beats the defending champion Marketa Vondrousova 6-4, 6-2 in just 66 minutes to reach the 2nd round at #Wimbledon.
Vondrousova the FIRST defending champion to lose in the 1st round since Graf in 1994. pic.twitter.com/y8ACI42fER
The win of her life ✨
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 2, 2024
21-year-old Jessica Bouzas Maneiro beats defending champion Marketa Vondrousova 6-4, 6-2 on Centre Court#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/16PSpOvi0I
Graf's first-round defeat in 1994 against Lori McNeil is the only other time in the sport's Open era, which dates to 1968, that a woman went from a championship at Wimbledon to an immediate exit a year later.
Vondrousova stunned the tennis world last summer when she became the first unseeded woman to win the crown at the All England Club. She was also the lowest-ranked woman to win at Wimbledon, entering the tournament last year 42nd.
Vondrousova's shocking loss on Tuesday will significantly impact her ranking.
Marketa Vondrousova loses 2000 points and will leave the top 10 after #Wimbledon.
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) July 2, 2024
Drops to #15 at best.
The lefty was a finalist at the 2019 French Open, a silver medalist at the Tokyo Olympics and a quarterfinalist at the 2023 U.S. Open.
According to an Associated Press and ESPN report, however, Vondrousova "appeared to still be suffering after-effects from a fall during a tune-up tournament on grass in Berlin last month that hurt her hip."
Bouzas Maneiro, meanwhile, has been placed as high as No. 83 in the WTA rankings and has never been past the second round of a major tournament.
"This is one of the most important moments of my life"
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 2, 2024
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro describes the feeling of winning on Centre Court #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/PmIy5MBkcp
"Now I'm really happy. I think this is one of the most important moments of my life, in my career here and this court is amazing," she said following the upset. "The atmosphere here, the tournament is [one of the] most beautiful tournaments I've ever played in my life, so thank you so much to everyone here who came to watch the match today. Thank you so much."
More must-reads:
- 'This means a lot to me,' Naomi Osaka thrilled to be back in Top 100 for first time since her comeback
- Andy Murray fans dealt bad news on three-time major victor's Wimbledon status
- The 'NFL mascot names' quiz
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