Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the WTA Wimbledon match.
Aryna Sabalenka opens her Wimbledon campaign against Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine. While the gulf in ranking and reputation is vast, the match may not be the straightforward affair the draw suggests. Branstine arrives in good form, having come through qualifying with wins over Loïs Boisson and Bianca Andreescu , and has enjoyed a strong run on grass this season.
Aryna Sabalenka
Sabalenka showed decent form in Berlin, where she reached the semi-finals, though she was eventually stopped by Marketa Vondrousova (No. 73 WTA). Crucially, the Belarusian tends to ease into tournaments — she hasn’t been steamrolling opponents early, and in six of her last seven matches, she’s allowed her rivals to win at least eight games.
Carson Branstine
Branstine (No. 197) has pieced together an impressive grass-court stretch, winning six of her last eight matches. Alongside her Wimbledon qualifying campaign, she also claimed a notable win over Liudmila Samsonova (No. 18) in 's-Hertogenbosch. This season, Branstine is serving well — averaging five aces per match and converting 66% of points behind her first serve.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Carson Branstine Prediction
Although drawing the world No. 1 in the first round is a brutal stroke of misfortune, Branstine has shown enough form to suggest she won’t be steamrolled. Sabalenka often allows room for her opponents to compete, and the Canadian has the tools to win at least six games.
