Canada's Leylah Fernandez was eliminated from Wimbledon on Wednesday, as she dropped a 2-6, 3-6 decision to Germany's Laura Siegemund in second-round play.Bradley Collyer/The Associated Press
Wimbledon’s slick grass courts are known to be tricky and cause more than a few upsets. But nothing compares to this year.
Eight top-10 seeds in the men’s and women’s singles fell in the first round of play – a record number for a Grand Slam in the open era which began in 1968. The list included Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, seeded second and third in women’s, and Alexander Zverev, the third men’s seed. Overall 23 seeds went down to defeat across the men’s and women’s singles in the opening two days.
The trend continued in the second round on Wednesday when last year’s runner up Jasmine Paolini, the fourth seed, lost as well.
Canada’s Leylah Fernandez was among the seeded players to go down to defeat as well on Wednesday. She was seeded 29th but fell 2-6, 3-6 to Germany’s Laura Siegemund who is ranked 104th in the world. Fernandez couldn’t explain why so many top players were losing in early rounds this year.
“I guess it’s one of those tournaments that anything could happen,” she said after her match. “I guess the players are feeling good right now. The ones who are winning are probably the ones who are playing better that day and taking more risk, because that’s what grass court is; to be offensive, aggressive and to go for your shots. I guess they reap the rewards.”
Fernandez, who has yet to go beyond the second round in four appearances at Wimbledon, was disappointed in her play. “I wasn’t even there, I didn’t show up,” she said. “I just didn’t bring in the right intentions on court. So that’s why it’s harder to take it now for me. It’s just unfortunate that it has to happen in a Grand Slam.”
Paolini, who lost 6-4, 4-6, 4-6 to Kamilla Rakhimova, said the many upsets didn’t put any added pressure on her. “I was just trying to stay there. I was feeling actually better than the first round in the first set,” she said.
Frances Tiafoe, the 12th seed who lost on Wednesday to Cameron Norrie 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 5-7, said both the men’s and women’s games have become more competitive.
“I mean, grass is a tricky surface. The game is getting much deeper,” he said. “It’s not like how it used to be where you can kind of, I mean, quote, unquote, get to your seedings easier. Now a lot of guys you don’t even know come out and play.”
Norrie agreed and said the level of play from top to bottom has improved. “It’s amazing to see how much depth there is in our sport, how everyone takes it so professional nowadays, travelling with a fitness trainer, full team. I’m not that surprised there’s some seeds out,” he said.
Montreal's Gabriel Diallo lost in five sets to American Taylor Fritz on Wednesday. Diallo's strong season has led to his ranking jumping from 166 to 40.Dan Istitene/Getty Images
One seed who has shown few signs of falling is Aryna Sabalenka. She won on Wednesday and remains the only player among the top five seeds in the women’s draw. After her 7-6, 6-4 second-round win over Marie Bouzkova, she smiled and told the crowd, “I hope it is no upsets any more in this tournament, if you know what I mean.”
She told reporters later that she wasn’t happy to see so many top players lose.
“Honestly, it is sad to see so many upsets in the tournament,” she said. “I think it’s really important to focus on yourself and to take it one step at a time, do not really look at the draw. This is something that can create a lot of nerves and a lot of doubts and stuff.”
Canada’s Gabriel Diallo couldn’t pull a further upset on Wednesday. He lost to fifth seed Taylor Fritz 6-3, 3-6, 6-7, 6-4, 3-6.
Diallo got off to a quick start with two breaks in the first set. Fritz won the second set with a late break and then took the 6-6 tie breaker in the third set 7-0. Diallo held his nerve and won the fourth set 6-4 but couldn’t keep up the momentum in the deciding set.
This was Diallo’s first appearance at Wimbledon but the 23-year old is having a breakout year. He advanced to the second rounds of the Australian Open and French Open, pulling his world ranking up to 40 from 166 a year ago.
Wednesday’s match between Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime and Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany was suspended after each won a set. Canadian Victoria Mboko also plays on Thursday in the second round against American Hailey Baptiste.