Defending Wimbledon Champion Vondrousova Stumbles in First Round

At the All England Club on Monday, contrasting fortunes unfolded for the last two Wimbledon singles champions. While 2022 winner Elena Rybakina cruised into the second round, defending champion Marketa Vondrousova suffered a disappointing first-round exit at the hands of Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.

Vondrousova's defeat marks a rare occurrence in Wimbledon history. She became only the fourth Wimbledon champion to lose in the first round of their title defense, joining Steffi Graf, who lost in 1994 after winning three consecutive titles.

Vondrousova's title defense was clouded by concerns about her physical health. After reaching the quarterfinals at Roland Garros, she played only 10 games of grass-court tennis before Wimbledon. In Berlin, she slipped and fell during a match, raising questions about her fitness.

Despite her pre-tournament assurances that she felt "fine," Vondrousova's performance on Centre Court raised alarm bells. She double-faulted three times in the opening game and continued to struggle with her serve throughout the match, double-faulting seven times and being broken five times.

Meanwhile, Bouzas Maneiro's historic victory marked several milestones in her career. It was her first main-draw win at a Grand Slam, her first tour-level win on grass, and her first career Top 10 win. Earlier this year, she had scored her first WTA main-draw victory against former world No. 2 Paula Badosa.

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