Top Seed Sabalenka Advances Wimbledon Second Round Beating Branstine

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka made a strong start to Wimbledon 2025 by defeating Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine 6-1, 7-5 on a record hot opening day. Sabalenka dominated early, winning the first five games, and despite Branstine's improved performance in the second set, she secured the crucial break at 5-5 to close out the match. This marks Sabalenka's return after withdrawing last year due to injury, and she is seen as the favorite to win, aiming to capture her first Wimbledon title after previously reaching the semifinals twice. Branstine, playing her first Grand Slam main-draw match, impressed with powerful serves and notable qualifying wins over top players. Sabalenka’s victory sets her up for a second-round match against either Lulu Sun or Marie Bouzkova, continuing her pursuit of a grass-court Grand Slam breakthrough. Experts consider Sabalenka the player to watch this tournament, ahead of other contenders like Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina, and Coco Gauff.