Elisabetta Cocciaretto stunned tennis fans on Tuesday, knocking out third seed Jessica Pegula in the first round of Wimbledon.
Pegula is the latest seed to fall at Wimbledon, after Jelena Ostapenko, Marta Kostyuk and Paula Badosa exited the Ladies Singles draw.
Cocciaretto stunned Pegula, winning 86 per cent of her second-serve points on her way to a 6-2 6-3 victory.
In beating Pegula, the world number 116 achieved a landmark record for her country.
Elisabetta Cocciaretto becomes the first Italian player to defeat a top three seed in the Wimbledon Women’s Singles
Cocciaretto, 24, who trains at the Italian Tennis Federation at Formia between Rome and Naples, did not just merely advance to the second round of Wimbledon, she set a new record for her country.
The 24-year-old, who was born in Ancona, Italy, became the first Italian player to beat a top three seed in the Wimbledon Women’s Singles in the Open Era.
The former world number 29 had enjoyed mixed results in the lead up to Wimbledon, reaching the semi-finals of the Libema Open.
However, she advanced through qualifying only to be knocked out in the first round at the Eastbourne Open by Kamilla Rakhimova.
Despite her mixed fortunes in the build-up to Wimbledon, the Italian swept aside Pegula, dominating for most of the match.
Cocciaretto won four of her six break point opportunities, providing herself with ample opportunity to defeat the world number three.
Pegula’s defeat is even more shocking when considering she won the Bad Homburg Open in June.
Elisabetta Cocciaretto will play Katie Volynets in the Wimbledon second round
Following her stunning victory at SW19, Elisabetta Cocciaretto discovered her second round opponent.
The 24-year-old will face US player Katie Volynets. The American recorded an impressive win over German player Tatjana Maria, who won the Queen’s Club Championships in June.
Volynets, who was born in Walnut Creek, California, is ranked 98 in the world. She has struggled in recent tournaments, winning just one singles match since the Morocco Open in May.
Cocciaretto and Volynets are set to play their second round match on Tuesday, although the time is yet to be decided.
