By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
History was again made at Wimbledon on Day Two of the 2024 edition of The Championships as Marketa Vondrousova became only the second women’s defending singles champion to lose in the opening round. Vondrousova was defeated by Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-4, 6-2 in the traditional Tuesday first match on Centre Court reserved for the defending women’s champion. Vondrousova is in good company, however, as she joins Steffi Graf, the No. 1 seed and defending champion in 1994, when she lost in the opening round to American Lori McNeil.
Vondrousova also joins men’s defending Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt and Manolo Santana to lose in the first round at the All England Club.
The following is the summary of the previous first round loses by defending champions at Wimbledon as documented in my “On This Day In Tennis History” compilation, which is for sale and download here: https://a.co/d/0bd4XMyE
June 20, 1994 – In what was regarded as one of the most astonishing upsets in Wimbledon history, Steffi Graf becomes the first defending women’s champion at Wimbledon to lose in the opening round of the event, falling to 30-year-old American Lori McNeil 7-5, 7-6. Says Graf, the three-time reigning Wimbledon singles champion, “She was better than me, that was obvious. She served much better and I just didn’t have a very good time. On the important points I never really played right. I don’t want to think about this for the next few days, but I’m not going to kill myself.” Says McNeil, who goes on to reach the semifinals, “It feels great. It is definitely the best win of my career and I’m just happy I’m through to the next round.”
June 24, 2003 – Lleyton Hewitt becomes only the second defending men’s singles champion at Wimbledon to lose in the first round as six-foot-10 Croatian qualifier Ivo Karlovic dismisses Hewitt 1-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3, 6-4 at The Championships. Hewitt joins 1966 Wimbledon champion Manuel Santana, defeated in the first round of Wimbledon in 1967 by Charlie Pasarell, as the only defending champions to be dismissed in the first round. Writes Bud Collins in his “Bud Collins History of Tennis” book of the Karlovic upset, “A giant pulled a gigantic upset for the ages in opening Centre Court on day one of Wimbledon as 6-foot-10 Ivo Karlovic, a Croatian qualifier ranked No. 203, made an undreamed of debut. He didn’t know the way to Centre Court, but once there victimized none other than the top-seeded defending champion Lleyton Hewitt, 1-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, 6-4. Such treatment of such an eminence had never before occurred. But after an understandably nervous beginning, the 24-year-old Karlovic attacked, overwhelming Hewitt with heavy serving and nifty volleying. The historic Ivo, who failed to qualify in three previous Wimbledons, lost in the third round to Max Mirnyi, 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).”
June 26, 1965 – Manuel Santana becomes the first defending champion to lose in the first round of Wimbledon when he is defeated by Charlie Pasarell 10-8, 6-3, 2-6, 8-6. Writes Fred Tupper of the New York Times of the Pasarell’s upset of the No. 1 seed, “Over 150 spine-tingling minutes this afternoon, the Puerto Rican was the better tennis player, stronger on serve, more secure on volley, and rock steady in the crises.” Says Santana, “Charlito was good. He was fast and hit the ball hard.”
