From Heaven to Hell: The reigning Grand Slam champions who lost in the first round

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Can you imagine Adam Walton creating a major upset against Carlos Alcaraz in the first round of the 2026 Australian Open? There are few instances of defending champions of Grand Slam tournaments losing in the first round of the following major, but throughout tennis history, anomalies like these have led the best players in the world from the highs of success to the lows of defeat.

Today, it seems difficult to envision Jannik Sinner or Alcaraz losing in the first round of a Grand Slam, but the beauty of tennis lies in the fact that there is always room for that surprise factor to occur. Like a comet appearing from time to time to remind the world that the unexpected also happens. In fact, it has happened 16 times throughout history since the Open Era began.

The 20th century stands out: from Wilander to Edberg

The first name on this list is Jan Kodes, who went from winning Roland Garros in 1970 and 1971 to suffering first-round exits at Wimbledon both years. Almost simultaneously, John Newcombe emerged. The Australian tennis player, who accumulated 26 Grand Slams in singles and doubles, also tasted the bitter side of defeat. After winning Wimbledon in 1971, he was knocked out in the first round at the US Open, and the same fate befell him in 1973.

The next name on the list is another Australian: Mark Edmondson. He reached the pinnacle in 1976 by winning the Australian Open—his only Grand Slam title—but at Roland Garros, he faced a harsh reality. It would be another nine years before a similar occurrence, this time with Mats Wilander. In 1985, the former world number one secured his second Roland Garros title, only to suffer a resounding defeat at Wimbledon a few weeks later.

In 1987, it was Pat Cash's turn, another Australian. That year he won Wimbledon, his only Grand Slam title, but the joy was short-lived. 1990 saw a double whammy, with Stefan Edberg and Andrés Gómez triumphing at Wimbledon and Roland Garros respectively. However, both were eliminated in the cruelest manner in their subsequent major.

Before leaping into the 21st century, a notable period must be mentioned: from 1996 to 1998, where four different cases occurred. Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Roland Garros, 1996), Richard Krajicek (Wimbledon, 1996), Gustavo Kuerten (Roland Garros, 1997), and Petr Korda (Australian Open, 1998) met the same fate, ushering in a new era in which names like André Agassi, Pete Sampras, and the 'Big Three' themselves would prevent this from happening so frequently.

The 'Big Three' and Alcaraz and Sinner Change Everything

In fact, in the 21st century, only three defending Grand Slam champions have lost in the first round the following year. The first was LLeyton Hewitt, who couldn't handle the pressure of winning a major. He clinched the US Open in 2001, but faced one of the toughest defeats of his career in the first round at the 2002 Australian Open, losing to the Spaniard Alberto Martín.

It took over 10 years to witness a similar event again, perhaps one of the most painful of all. Rafael Nadal made history in 2013 by securing what was his eighth Roland Garros title at that time. However, shortly after, he suffered a harsh defeat at Wimbledon against Steve Darcis, who, ranked 135th in the world, defeated him in three sets.

The last on this list is Stanislas Wawrinka. The Swiss player experienced his golden period between 2014 and 2016, winning up to three Grand Slams. After claiming his first title at the 2014 Australian Open, 'Stanimal' entered Roland Garros as one of the favorites but was surprised in the first round by another Spaniard: Guillermo García López.

It has been 12 years since something similar last happened. In this case, it is Alcaraz who comes in as the reigning US Open champion, ruling the ATP circuit alongside Jannik Sinner, the defending champion. The young player from Murcia will have to deal with the pressure of parting ways with Juan Carlos Ferrero and the potential to become the youngest player to complete the Career Grand Slam.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Del cielo al infierno: Los campeones vigentes de Grand Slam que perdieron en primera ronda