Aryna Sabalenka brought the heat to Wimbledon’s grass courts Monday, cruising past Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine 6-1, 7-5 in a first-round showdown. The Belarusian powerhouse, eyeing her maiden Wimbledon title, showed flashes of brilliance mixed with gritty determination 🌟.
Sabalenka stormed through the first set with five straight games, looking every bit the World No. 2. But Branstine—ranked 1,016th—fought back in the second set, firing aces and drawing cheers from the crowd. At 5-5, Sabalenka flipped the script, breaking Branstine’s serve before sealing victory with a trademark power hold 💪.
“I wanted to win quick, but that second-set battle tested my mental game,” said Sabalenka, who withdrew last year due to injury. “Now I’m ready to level up.”
Up next: A clash with Czech player Marie Bouzkova. Meanwhile, 2024 French Open finalist Jasmine Paolini survived a three-set thriller against Anastasija Sevastova, proving this year’s tournament is full of plot twists 🍿.
