LONDON – In just his second year as a pro, Ryan Seggerman continues to rack up career firsts. Since August 2024, the Coronado High School alum has earned his first-ever bids to play at the US Open, the Australian Open, the French Open, and Wimbledon. He then topped those firsts on July 3 by winning his first-ever Wimbledon match, 6-4, 6-4 with partner Matt Romios. For good measure, he also notched his first-ever Grand Slam two-set win (he had a French Open win that went three). Unluckily, the pair ran into one of the world’s best doubles teams in Round 2, No. 3 seeds Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz, and lost 6-3, 7-6 (3) the next day.
Round One
Seggerman and Romios were scheduled and prepared to play Diego Hidalgo and Luciano Darderi in the first round. Players who compete in both singles and doubles often prioritize their singles play over their doubles play, and Darderi, scheduled to play both, did just that. Darderi won a five-set singles match in Round 1 and won in three sets in Round 2, but the second match took place over two days, July 2 and July 3.
Seggerman and Romios expected Darderi to need an hour or two after winning his singles match to play. Instead, less than 30 minutes before the players went onto the court, they were notified that they would be playing alternates Arjun Kadhe and Vit Kopriva: Darderi (and of course, his partner) had withdrawn.
“There was definitely a ball of anxiety or something in my stomach, just to think, oh, I don’t know, just processing, is this a better opportunity?” said Seggerman. “Now I needed to kind of shake [the preparation for the other team] out of my head, and just try to formulate something else to go into this with the best mindset to hopefully spur victory.”
Whatever he and Romios conjured, it worked. The pair served up eight aces to only two double faults, got 73% of their first serves in and won 76% of those, and even managed to win almost two thirds (65%) of their second-serve points. Importantly, they took advantage of their break-point opportunities. They had one in the first set on Kadhe’s serve with the set tied at 4-4, and won the game on Seggerman’s service return to go up 5-4. Next, Seggerman served to close out the set.
“We had faced maybe one break point earlier in the set and gotten out of that,” said Seggerman. “And then in that game I ended up, I think, staring down maybe three more [break points]. … You’ve put yourself in the position that you want to be put in. And almost it’s right in front of you. All you can think about is, ‘What if I blow this, you know?'”
Every recreational player knows that feeling, and judging from the record number of top-ten singles men’s and women’s seeds who lost in the first round of this year’s Wimbledon, so do those at the very top of the game.
Seggerman and Romios held steady though, played themselves out of the three break points to win Seggerman’s serve, and the set, 6-4.
Between the end of the first and beginning of the second sets, Seggerman and Romios won five straight games. They broke Kapriva in the first game of the second set and then held to go up 2-0.
They were up 5-4 in the second when again it was Seggerman’s turn to serve. This time, however, his service game was less complicated. Seggerman served an ace to go up 40-30 for match point, then delivered his first serve near the service line to set up Romios for a high backhand volley winner to win the match, 6-4, 6-4.
Match point. Coronado’s Ryan Seggerman and Matthew Romios won their first round at Wimbledon versus Arjun Kadhe and Vit Kopriva, 6-4, 6-4. Video credit: Steve Johnson
“What a thrill to see Coronado’s Ryan Seggerman play his first Wimbledon – and fourth slam in a row!” said Coronadan Steve Johnson who was there, live. “Ryan and his partner Matthew Romios dominated with their booming serves and consistent net play. So proud of them and I hope their run continues.”
Round Two
While Coronadans were waking up early to secure coveted spots to watch the annual Fourth of July Parade, Seggerman and Romios were playing the No. 3 seeds, Germans Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz. The match began at 4:30 am PT on the fourth, 12:30 pm in London.
To set some context, since 2014, Krawietz and Puetz have played in a combined 54 Grand Slam tournaments, winning 108 matches, including two titles. The pair only started playing together in 2023, and have already been 2024 US Open finalists and 2025 Australian Open semi-finalists.
Romios and Seggerman? Since 2024, they have played in a combined six Grand Slams, notching two match victories.
The match started well for the relative newcomers. Krawietz served the first game of the match but wobbled a bit, giving Seggerman and Romios three break-point chances. They were unable to convert, so Krawietz and Puetz held to go up 1-0. Then, Krawietz and Puetz took advantage of their first break-point opportunity by converting it to go up 3-1 in the first. The players all held serve for the rest of the set, and the Germans won 6-3.
In the second, the players all held serve to force a tiebreaker at 6-6. Krawietz and Puetz came up big to win the first-to-seven tiebreaker and the match, 6-3, 7-6 (3).
Seggerman reflected specifically on his service returns. “I was trying to do a little too much,” he said. “We really would have been okay if I just settled down and found ways to put the ball on the court.”
That said, the pair hit four return winners and four aces — their opponents had none of either — and matched them in total return points won (19). Seggerman held all of his service games, and Romios held four out of five. So while it was a Round 2 loss, there were plenty of positives to take away. And, Seggerman wants more.
“I want to check off other firsts,” said Seggerman. “Now [I want] that first quarterfinal, first semifinal. Those hopefully aren’t too far away.”
In his last two Grand Slam appearances, he and his partner made it past the first round and pushed second-round opponents to a tiebreaker. That second-round win is coming — and after that, who knows?
Next Up
Seggerman departs Wimbledon today to continue playing in tournaments. He is headed to Romania for the first of three tournaments in three weeks with Canadian Cleeve Harper.
After Romania, they will play in Sweden, and then in either Austria or Croatia. Seggerman will return to Coronado in late July after having traveled and played on the tour for four straight months.
He won’t be home for long, though. He hopes to earn a wildcard bid into the Master’s-level Cincinnati Open August 7-18 with fellow San Diegan Patrik Trhac. The pair has played together in several tournaments, and hope to become one of the 32 teams who compete.
Notable
- In Round 1, Seggerman wore a patch on his tennis shirt in honor of the Alexander Kane McGarey Foundation. McGarey, a Coronado High School classmate of Seggerman’s, lost a battle to brain cancer in 2022. Aligning with McGarey’s love of baseball, the foundation supports Carolina Elite baseball players with scholarships and more to develop their game and provide access to a college education.
- At the end of the Round 1 match, a fan asked Seggerman for a Wimbledon towel. “My mom gets this,” Seggerman responded. “I’ve got to bring this back to California.” It’s true. After his first win at the Indian Wells Master’s tournament in March 2024, Seggerman gave his mom one of the tournament towels. So began the Seggerman tradition of bringing a tournament towel to his mom. He’ll bring three towels back for his super fans: mom Pam Seggerman, grandma Mary Ann Noble who also lives in Coronado, and his great aunt Sylvia, who lives in Alaska and never misses a match.
“It’s amazing to watch Ryan do what he loves on the biggest and most historic stage in tennis,” said Pam Seggerman. “I am elated for him and so proud!”
- Ryan’s father, Scott Seggerman, traveled to Wimbledon to watch his son play.
