Wimbledon 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova's title defence is over in the first round in 2024. The Czechia Tennis star was stunned by Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the opening round of SW19 in straight sets by 4-6, 2-6 at the Centre Court.
The World No.83 Bouzas Maneiro was playing in her third Grand Slam main draw and registered her maiden win in just over an hour, precisely - 67 minutes. She nailed all five of the break points which became the highlight of her win.
Notably, Vondrousova has become the first defending women's champion at Wimbledon to lose in the first round since 1994. The last defending champion to go down in the first round in her title defence at the All England Club was Steffi Graf, who lost her opener to Lori McNeil in 1994.
The Czechia star was not looking at the best of her fitness after her fall during a tournament in Berlin last month. That fall hurt her hip.
Vondrousova was a surprise winner at the SW19 last year and she became the first unseeded woman to claim the grass-court Grand Slam. She had defeated Ons Jabeur in the final who was gunning for a win after being the runners-up in 2022.
"I feel so happy right now. I can't believe it yet, so I have to take my time," Bouzas Maneiro said after beating Vondrousova.
"I was a bit scared because of my leg, too. But I don't think that was the reason. I felt nervous from the start. She was playing a good match, too. Yeah, I didn't feel at my best. I think she didn't gave me many points for free, too. So credits to her, too," Vondrousova said after the loss.
"I feel like even if you, like, don't want to think about it, you just think about it, I don't know, all the time here. I see posters here and everything, my name everywhere," she added.
Elena Rybakina and Jessica Pegula had good days on the grass-court. Both the players won their games in straight sets. The 2022 champion Rybakina defeated Elena-Gabriela Ruse in straight sets 6-3, 6-1, while outclassed countrywoman Ashlyn Krueger 6-2, 6-0 to book her second-round appearance.
