Aryna Sabalenka displayed resilience in her first-round match as she overcame a brief setback while serving for victory. The world No. 1 was reminded of a recent defeat in Paris, where she lost ten consecutive games after leading in a quarter-final. However, she quickly regained her composure against Serbian qualifier Teodora Kostovic, ultimately winning 6-2, 6-3 in a promising start as she aims for her first Wimbledon title.
“For the first match I feel pretty good,” Sabalenka commented. “I’d say I rate myself eight out of 10. She brought a really good fight, stepped it up in the second set and pushed me. Happy I was able to close this match in straight sets.”
Having reached the semi-finals in her last three Wimbledon appearances, Sabalenka approached this tournament with some uncertainty following her Paris exit. This prompted her to reconnect with her former sports psychologist, seeking guidance for the first time in years. Despite a slight dip in form, she started strong, racing to a 4-0 lead. “We all have nerves. We just try to put them away. I think with experience I have just become better at dealing with that.” she added.
Kostovic’s Grass Court Debut
Teodora Kostovic, making her debut on grass, managed to get on the scoreboard in the fifth game. The 19-year-old showcased her skills, celebrating when she broke Sabalenka’s serve and even saved a match point with an ace before the top seed closed the match.
Surprising Upsets in the Tournament
Tennis proved unpredictable as Maja Chwalinska, fresh from a successful run at the French Open, faced a shocking defeat. While leading against Mananchaya Sawangkaew, Chwalinska slipped on the grass when she was just one point away from victory. Although she initially appeared uninjured, she later attended to her right ankle and struggled to continue, ultimately losing 2-6, 7-5, 6-2.
“I’m definitely very disappointed,” Chwalinska reflected. “I was one point from winning a match. It’s a grand slam, so of course every match is very, very important. But yeah, I’ll get through it. It’s tennis, it’s sport, so I will lose many more like this, and I will hopefully win some like that.”
Pegula’s Strong Performance
Jessica Pegula, the fourth seed from the United States and a favorite among many for a deep tournament run, successfully advanced to the next round. She secured a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Czech player Darja Vidmanova. “I definitely wanted to redeem myself a bit from last year’s exit and then also the early exit at the French,” Pegula admitted. “I did well in Australia, I’ve done well in the US Open the last few years [so I] wasn’t happy about that. Little extra nerves or pressure today, as well, just with that in mind but then also motivation at the same time.”
Other players, including former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka and rising American star Iva Jovic, also progressed in the tournament.
