London, July 2: Alexander Zverev suffered his earliest Grand Slam exit since 2019 as the German third seed was stunned by France’s Arthur Rinderknech in the Wimbledon first round on Tuesday. Zverev, a three-time Grand Slam runner-up, slipped to a shock 7-6 (7/3), 6-7 (8/10), 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4 defeat against the world number 72 in a marathon clash lasting four hours and 40 minutes on Centre Court. The 28-year-old is the highest-ranked seed to fall so far in this year’s men’s singles at the All England Club.Zverev, who reached the Australian Open final in January, endured his latest Wimbledon flop in a tie that initially started on Monday evening.
When play was halted due to Wimbledon’s 2200 GMT curfew, the match was level at one-set all.
But Rinderknech seized his chance once play resumed in the blazing London heat on Tuesday afternoon.
Rinderknech hit 25 aces and although Zverev replied with 31 of his own, it was not enough to stave off an embarrassing defeat.
Zverev has failed to make it past the fourth round at Wimbledon in nine visits to the grass-court major.
He had reached at least the second round in his previous 20 Grand Slam appearances.
Zheng Qinwen admitted she was not focused enough after the Chinese Olympic champion slumped to a shock first-round Wimbledon defeat against world number 81 Katerina Siniakova on Tuesday.
Zheng exited in the opening round for a third straight year, losing 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 to the unheralded Czech in two hours and 25 minutes in searing heat on Court Three.
It is the fourth time in her past six Grand Slam appearances that Zheng has failed to get past the third round, a barren run interrupted by quarter-final runs at the 2024 US Open and this year’s French Open.
“I should do better in my service games. I was leading 5-3 in the first set and my concentration was not there. I gave her the game so easily. It’s a pity,” Zheng said.
On grass you don’t get too many chances to come back. I should have taken my chances better but I’m not going to let this enter my mind. It’s just one match I lost at Wimbledon.
“I made a lot of mistakes. I made the match complicated. The weather was very hot but I believe I should have been more focused on the court. Maybe I should work more to be focused in the heat.”
After finishing as Australian Open runner-up to Aryna Sabalenka last year, Zheng won Olympic gold on the Paris clay in August, beating Donna Vekic in the final.
The 22-year-old, sixth in the WTA rankings, has fared less well on the grass courts of south-west London.
Petra Kvitova’s Wimbledon farewell ended in an emotional defeat as the two-time champion was beaten 6-3, 6-1 by Emma Navarro in the first round on Tuesday.
Kvitova returned from maternity leave in February following the birth of her son Petr in 2024, but found it difficult to handle the demands of being a mother on the gruelling tennis circuit.
The 35-year-old Czech announced last week that she will bring the curtain down on her career after the US Open in August.
Kvitova’s decision gave the former world number two, who has won 31 titles in her career, one last opportunity to return to the scene of her Wimbledon triumphs.
But American 10th seed Navarro ruined her hopes of a long Wimbledon goodbye with a clinical 60-minute victory on Court One.
Kvitova could not hold back the tears when she was given a standing ovation by the crowd, responding with a wave before drying her eyes.
“It’s very special to play on this beautiful court one more time. I wish I could play a little bit longer but it’s OK, whatever” she said as more tears flowed.
“This place holds the best memories I could wish for. I never dreamt of winning Wimbledon.
“I will miss Wimbledon for sure, I will miss tennis but I’m ready for the next chapter as well.