The tournament's oldest champion tradition has begun with surprise and immediate exit of the 12th-seeded Andrey Rublev, who lost to his unseeded countryman Roman Safiullin (ranked 132nd). According to Israeli media reports, the shock defeat marks the first headline of Wimbledon 2026.
Andrey Rublev (world No. 12) was eliminated on the opening day of Wimbledon 2026 by unseeded compatriot Roman Safiullin (ranked 132nd). The match, reported by Israeli media, was one of the earliest upsets of the tournament. Polish player Hubert Hurkacz (ranked 96th) also caused a surprise by defeating Casper Ruud (ranked 11th). Rublev's early exit marks a significant moment in the first round of the grass-court Grand Slam.
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