We select five matches you won’t want to miss in the first round of the ladies’ singles at The Championships 2025.
Aryna Sabalenka vs Carson Branstine
The kind of supernatural self-confidence you rarely see outside the Hollywood Hills. And yet often so savage with the on-court self-criticism. Emotional. Expressive. Strong Instagram game.
At ease in front of the camera. Going into every match thinking you won’t be outplayed today: whatever happens, and you might lose, it will be on your terms.
While that all applies to world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka, you could also say just the same about her first round opponent, Carson Branstine, a Canadian qualifier who is ranked 196 places lower, and who says living in Hollywood has contributed to her being “an animated person”.
Sabalenka's path full of rocks
Off the court, Branstine is “chill” but there’s something about tennis, she has said, that brings out her demons, which might end up stomping all over the grass.
Branstine’s run through Qualifying included wins over France’s Lois Boisson, a Roland-Garros semi-finalist, and countrywoman Bianca Andreescu, a former US Open champion.
Branstine saw who she was playing in the first round and posted on social media: “Maybe one day I’ll get a good draw LOL.”
But Sabalenka, a finalist at the Australian Open and Roland-Garros this year, could have much kinder draws than playing a qualifier who will be asking herself before stepping on the grass: “Why not?”
Emma Raducanu vs Mingge Xu
If Hollywood is coming to Wimbledon – truly giving us popcorn tennis – what about Wales? Beware teenagers at Grand Slams who are swinging freely. That was Emma Raducanu once.
Now Raducanu, who won the 2021 US Open title as a teenage qualifier, finds herself in the role of establishment figure trying to repel a younger, possibly fearless opponent.
In an all-British first round match, Raducanu meets Mingge Xu, a 17-year-old wild card from Wales.
Barbora Krejcikova vs Alexandra Eala
Tradition dictates that, as the ladies’ singles defending champion, Barbora Krejcikova will play the opening match on Centre Court on Tuesday.
The concern for the Czech is that she is facing Alexandra Eala, a 20-year-old from the Philippines who seemingly doesn’t care much for the established order and how things have always been done.
Eala defeated three Grand Slam champions – in Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek – to reach the semi-finals in Miami this spring, which people were calling her breakout party, and she has reached the final of this week’s grass court tournament in Eastbourne.
Petra Kvitova vs Emma Navarro
How did Petra Kvitova spend her morning after winning the Venus Rosewater Dish for a second time in 2014? Why, by cleaning the house she had rented in Wimbledon Village.
The Czech has always been the most grounded of grass court queens.
But Kvitova should be celebrated at what will be her final Championships before retiring later this year.
Outside the Williams family, no one has won the ladies’ singles more times this century than Kvitova.
The wild card, who was also the champion in 2011, and who became a mother last year, plays Emma Navarro, the No.10 seed from the United States, a quarter-finalist here last summer.
Paula Badosa vs Katie Boulter
Grass suits Katie Boulter. So does playing in front of a home crowd, which isn’t for everyone. What might this summer bring for the Briton?
Two of Boulter’s three career titles have been on English grass courts – she won the Nottingham tournament in 2023 and 2024 – which strongly suggests she is very capable of going deep into the draw at the All England Club.
First she must find a way past Paula Badosa, the world No.9 from Spain, in the first round.