Wimbledon 2026: Pegula reaches round 2; teen Jovic wins main-draw debut
Synopsis
Fourth seed Jessica Pegula recovered from an early wobble to beat Grand Slam debutant Darja Vidmanova, while 18-year-old Iva Jovic dismantled world No. 37 Jaqueline Cristian to become the first player of her generation to win a main-draw match at all four Grand Slams — and she is only just getting started at Wimbledon 2026.
Key Takeaways
Jessica Pegula (4th seed) beat Czech qualifier Darja Vidmanova 7-5, 6-3 on 29 June 2026 to reach the Wimbledon Ladies' Singles second round.
It is Pegula's fifth second-round appearance in seven Wimbledon main-draw starts.
Pegula next faces Sara Sorribes Tormo , who leads their head-to-head 2-1 ; it will be their first meeting on grass.
Iva Jovic (16th seed, aged 18 ) defeated world No.
37 Jaqueline Cristian 7-6(1), 6-0 for her first-ever Wimbledon main-draw win.
Jovic has now won a main-draw match at all four Grand Slam tournaments; her best result is a quarterfinal at the 2026 Australian Open .
Coco Gauff , Amanda Anisimova , Emma Navarro , and Madison Keys are among the Americans yet to open their Wimbledon 2026 campaigns.
Jessica Pegula, the fourth seed at Wimbledon 2026, erased the memory of last year's first-round exit with a composed straight-sets win over Czech qualifier Darja Vidmanova on Monday, 29 June, advancing to the Ladies' Singles second round at the All England Club. Alongside her, 18-year-old compatriot and 16th seed Iva Jovic marked a personal milestone by claiming her first-ever Wimbledon main-draw victory on the same day.
Pegula Overcomes Early Wobble
Pegula opened her campaign on Court 2, racing to a 4-0 lead in just 10 minutes. World No. 92 Vidmanova — making her Grand Slam main-draw debut — refused to fold, reeling off three consecutive games to claw back into the first set. The American regained her composure at the critical juncture, closing out the set 7-5 before a more controlled 6-3 second set sealed the match in one hour and 13 minutes.
The win marks the fifth time in seven Wimbledon main-draw appearances that Pegula has progressed to the second round — a record of consistency that underlines her growing comfort on grass despite the absence of a deep Wimbledon run on her CV.
What Awaits Pegula in Round 2
Pegula's next opponent is Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo, who defeated Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva 6-2, 6-3 to reach the second round for the fifth time in seven Wimbledon appearances — matching her own best performance at the tournament. Sorribes Tormo leads their head-to-head 2-1, with her two victories coming in 2018 and 2019, while Pegula took their most recent meeting in 2022. Notably, their upcoming clash will be the first between the two players on a grass surface.
Jovic Makes History Across All Four Slams
The day's other headline act came from Iva Jovic, whose 7-6(1), 6-0 demolition of world No. 37 Jaqueline Cristian completed a remarkable personal landmark: the American teenager has now won a main-draw match at all four Grand Slam tournaments. The first set was decided on serve throughout before Jovic took the tiebreak 7-1; she then reeled off six straight games in the second to wrap up the win in one hour and 30 minutes.
Jovic's best Slam result to date remains a quarterfinal appearance at the Australian Open earlier this year. She will next face the winner of the first-round match between former Wimbledon semifinalist Tatjana Maria — runner-up at Eastbourne last week — and Yulia Putintseva.
More Americans in Action
The American contingent's Wimbledon push continues through the opening days. Seventh seed Coco Gauff and 28th seed Ann Li were scheduled to begin their campaigns later on Monday. Sixth seed Amanda Anisimova, 23rd seed Emma Navarro, and 26th seed Madison Keys — fresh from winning the Eastbourne title — are all set to play their opening-round matches on Tuesday, making the US presence at the All England Club one of the deepest in recent memory.
With Pegula, Jovic, Gauff, and Keys all in the draw, American women enter the second week as a collective force to watch at Wimbledon 2026.
Point of View
Not just youth-circuit hype. The American women's depth at Wimbledon 2026 — seven seeds, multiple grass-form statements — is the strongest it has been in a decade, yet the draw is unforgiving enough that the field will thin fast. Watch whether Jovic, whose Australian Open quarterfinal run was no fluke, can go deeper than any of the established names before the second week.
NationPress
29 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Jessica Pegula perform in her Wimbledon 2026 first-round match?
Pegula defeated Czech qualifier Darja Vidmanova 7-5, 6-3 in one hour and 13 minutes on 29 June 2026. Despite conceding three consecutive games mid-first-set, she regained control to advance comfortably in straight sets.
Who does Pegula play in the Wimbledon 2026 second round?
Pegula faces Spain's Sara Sorribes Tormo, who beat Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva 6-2, 6-3. Sorribes Tormo leads their overall head-to-head 2-1, though this will be their first match on grass.
What milestone did Iva Jovic achieve at Wimbledon 2026?
The 18-year-old American became the first player of her generation to win a main-draw match at all four Grand Slam tournaments, defeating world No. 37 Jaqueline Cristian 7-6(1), 6-0 on 29 June 2026.
Who does Iva Jovic play next at Wimbledon 2026?
Jovic will face the winner of the first-round match between former Wimbledon semifinalist Tatjana Maria — runner-up at Eastbourne last week — and Yulia Putintseva.
Which other American women are playing at Wimbledon 2026?
Seventh seed Coco Gauff and 28th seed Ann Li were scheduled to play on Monday 29 June. Sixth seed Amanda Anisimova, 23rd seed Emma Navarro, and 26th seed Madison Keys — the reigning Eastbourne champion — are set to open their campaigns on Tuesday.
