Carnage: Week 1 at Wimbledon

Wimbledon

Week 1: Down Go the Top Seeds

Week 1 was chaos, and felt more like March Madness than your typical Grand Slam. The top seeds on both sides of the draw checked out of their Airbnb’s way earlier than expected, with upsets happening left and right.

Let’s start with the women’s side. Coco Gauff (seeded 2nd), Jess Pegula (3), and Qinwen Zheng (5) all lost in the first round. Last year’s finalist, Jasmine Paolini (4), lost in the second. So by Day 3, Aryna Sabalenka was the only top 5 seed still standing.

She must have thought, “Oh god we’re all cursed” after seeing her fellow best-players-in-the-entire-world go down.

As surprising as the result seems, it isn’t a crazy outlier. 2025 will be the ninth straight year that Wimbledon will crown a new women’s champion. The depth on the WTA Tour is real, but so is the volatility—especially on a surface where so few players are truly comfortable.

The tennis gods didn’t spare the men’s top seeds either. Alexander Zverev (3) lost in the first round, rubbing salt into the wound of an already awful season. Lorenzo Musetti (7), Holger Rune (8), and Daniil Medvedev (9) all packed their bags early too.

For context, during the Serena + Big 3 era, early losses like this were almost unfathomable. Serena only lost in the first round of a major once in her entire career. And in the last 20 years (which is 240 slam appearances total), Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic only lost in the first round of a major 5 times total. This first-week carnage feels jarring in contrast—but in truth, it’s probably a return to the mean. We got spoiled by sustained dominance. This is tennis in its more natural, chaotic state.

The truth is, Wimbledon plays more like a different sport than just a different tournament. Players who haven’t spent years learning how to move, serve, and defend on grass are exposed quickly. And in Week 1, we saw that exposure in full force.

But here’s the funny thing: while the top seeds are out, the biggest names are still here. On the women’s side, Iga Swiatek and Sabalenka are alive and well. Neither has won Wimbledon, but they’re favorites heading into Week 2. And on the men’s side, Sinner, Alcaraz, and Djokovic have all made it through the rubble.

That’s the mark of greatness. Not invincibility—but repeated excellence.

My picks from the start—Alcaraz and Sabalenka—are still standing. (You might recall I picked both French Open winners correctly. Humble brag ✅)

So what should we expect in Week 2? More surprises? Maybe. But definitely sharper tennis. The grass is getting more worn, the nerves have settled, and the real top seeds will likely come out on top.

Week 1 was March Madness. Week 2 is the Final Four.

Trivia

Who was the first unseeded player to win the Wimbledon Gentlemen's Singles title in the Open Era?

A. Rafael Nadal

B. John McEnroe

C. Boris Becker

D. Arthur Ashe

Find out at the bottom!

Meet the Player

JC Shang

From: China 🇨🇳

Best Slam Result: 3rd Round

Career High Ranking: 47

Fun Fact: Nicknamed Jerry, after his favorite show Tom & Jerry

Game Analysis: Verdasco is the best comparison I can think of for this kid. Lefty, hits huge off both sides, and is supremely athletic. That said, I’m concerned that his forehand wind up takes too long, robbing him of the opportunity to play offense more often.

Career Prediction: At just 19, JC has time to get physically stronger, gain match experience, and make technical adjustments. I think he’s got the game to be top 10 in a few years and make a slam semi.

Around the Net

Some of my favorite tennis content I found on the internet this week…

🗓️ How the strict practice schedule at Wimbledon works

😳 “We’ve got some catching up to do” - Tommy Paul’s reaction to the French Open Final between Alcaraz and Sinner

😂 “Boring, unfunny, and miserable” - Andy Murray describing himself in his funniest moments. Gotta love dry, British Scottish humor.

Photo

Answer

C. Boris Becker

At just 17 years old, “Boom Boom” Boris Becker won Wimbledon in 1985. He was ranked 20 in the world at the time, but back then, Wimbledon only seeded the Top 16 players.