Let the Wimbledon games begin!
By Joey Dillon
The IX: Tennis Tuesday with Joey Dillon, July 1, 2025
Howdy, y’all and Happy Tennis Tuesday! Today marks the second day of Wimbledon (who still starts their action on a Monday) and we already had some upsets in the opening round. No. 9 Paula Badosa was upset in three sets by Brit Katie Boulter, while another Brit in Sonay Kartal defeated No. 20 Jelena Ostapenko. The final seed to lose was No. 32 Mccartney Kessler, who lost to 2023 champion Marketa Vondrousova and I’m not even sure if you’d call that a shocker. Today’s big shocker thus far was No. 3 Jessica Pegula, the Bad Homburg champion, who lost to Elisabetta Cocciaretto.
Continue reading with a subscription to The IX
Get unlimited access to our exclusive coverage of a varitety of women’s sports, including our premium newsletter by subscribing today!
Already a member?
Login
While certainly anyone can emerge the champion, the top of the list of favorites is World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who has consistently knocked on the door of Wimbledon glory. After reaching the semifinals in 2021 and 2023 and finishing runner-up at both the Australian and French Opens this year, Sabalenka enters SW19 determined to finally capture her first title on grass. Her aggressive baseline game and powerful serve are perfectly suited for the surface, but questions remain about whether she can stay composed under pressure during the critical second week.
Close behind is Coco Gauff, the reigning French Open champion and current World No. 2, who has matured into one of the most dangerous all-around players on tour. Though she has yet to go beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon, Gauff’s athleticism, improved forehand and IQ give her a legitimate shot at a breakthrough. She is riding high on momentum and confidence after her Roland Garros victory and could become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2015 to complete the rare Channel Slam. Elena Rybakina, the 2022 champion, remains a formidable presence. Her calm demeanor and clean, flat hitting are tailor-made for grass, and despite a few inconsistent results this season, she’s proven she can handle the pressure of the big stage at SW19.
Iga Świątek, the four-time French Open champion, is once again seeking to translate her dominance on clay to success on grass. Though her game isn’t as naturally suited to Wimbledon’s low bounce and faster pace, her ability to adjust tactics and control rallies should not be underestimated. A deep run is well within her reach if she finds her rhythm early. Last year, Barbora Krejcikova stunned the tennis world and claimed the women’s title with a win over Jasmine Paolini. The reigning champion has a tough opener against Alex Eala, who’s coming off of her debut WTA singles final in Eastbourne. While an upset is certainly possible and her season has been interrupted by injuries, she’s shown in the past that her all-court game and poise under pressure can carry her far at the All England Club.
Beyond the favorites, the field is filled with dangerous dark horses. Jasmine Paolini, last year’s surprise finalist, has built on her Wimbledon run with a string of impressive results and now enters as a top-5 seed. Madison Keys, known for her big serve and flat hitting, has made multiple deep runs at Wimbledon and has the kind of game that can blow past any opponent on a good day. Teen sensation Mirra Andreeva also looms as a breakout candidate. The 17-year-old has already scored top-10 wins this year and possesses a fearless, dynamic style that could thrive on grass. Other names to watch include Elina Svitolina and Donna Vekic—two veterans who have shown flashes of brilliance on grass or have the experience to make a run.
Now, for my predictions. I always hate putting all of the seeds through to their specific round but I do think we’re going to see some surprises. The second quarter, in my opinion, can be the one where a surprise semifinalist could emerge. The seeds to go deep include Paolini and Zheng Qinwen, but the short grass season hasn’t produced the results that scream “second week.” Look for a few seeds, specifically Amanda Anisimova and Elena Rybakina, to outlast their projected
Round of 16
(1) Aryna Sabalenka def. (14) Elina Svitolina
(6) Madison Keys def. (22) Donna Vekic
(13) Amanda Anisimova def. (4) Jasmine Paolini
Naomi Osaka def. (12) Diana Shnaider
(7) Mirra Andreeva def. (10) Emma Navarro(3) Jessica Pegula def. (18) Ekaterina Alexandrova
(11) Elena Rybakina def. (8) Iga Swiatek
(2) Coco Gauff def. (16) Daria Kasatkina
Quarterfinals
(1) Aryna Sabalenka def. (6) Madison Keys
(13) Amanda Anisimova def. Naomi Osaka (3) Jessica Pegula def. (7) Mirra Andreeva
(11) Elena Rybakina def. (2) Coco Gauff
Semi-Finals
(1) Aryna Sabalenka def. (13) Amanda Anisimova
(11) Elena Rybakina def. (3) Jessica Pegula
Final
(1) Aryna Sabalenka def. (11) Elena Rybakina
On to links!
Readers of The IX save 50% on subscriptions to The Next!
The Next: A basketball newsroom brought to you by The IX. 24/7/365 women’s basketball coverage, written, edited and photographed by our young, diverse staff, dedicated to breaking news, analysis, historical deep dives and projections about the game we love.
Subscribe to make sure this vital work of creating a pipeline of young, diverse media professionals to write, edit and photograph the great game continues and grows. Your subscription ensures our writers and editors creating 24/7/365 women’s basketball coverage like what you’re reading right now get paid to do it!
This Week in Women’s Tennis
Tennis Channel and WTA Ventures have announced a six-year deal to continue and improve the coverage of women’s tennis through 2023.
Jessica Pegula claimed the Bad Homburg Open with a win over Iga Swiatek to win her third title of the season. In doubles, Guo Hanyu and Alexandra Panova won in a comeback against Lyudmyla Kichenok and Ellen Perez:
At the Lexus Eastbourne Open, Maya Joint continues to impress and saved four championship points to defeat Alex Eala and win her second WTA title. The doubles crown was won by Marie Bouzkova and Anna Danilina, who downed Joint and Hsieh Su-wei.
The PTPA submitted a new complaint in their retaliation against the WTA and ATP tours.
Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka buried the hatchet following Sabalenka’s less-than-ideal comments following their Roland Garros final.
Tracy Austin is no stranger to the grass of Wimbledon, but the two-time semifinalist gets to witness the tournament through a different lens as her son Brandon Holt enters the Top 100.
Congratulations to Yanina Wickmayer, who is wrapping her career up at Wimbledon:
18 years after making her Wimbledon qualifying debut, Alize Cornet formally said goodbye to tennis in the final round last week. The Frenchwoman came back this Spring after over a year away with the goal to play one last time at Wimbledon.
While we bid adieu to Pride Month and players like Greet Minnen face trolls who harass players, a reminder that Billie Jean King is a beacon of light:
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova opens up about forgoing sponsored clothes and designing her own matchwear.
Gaby Dabrowski had dreams of being an Olympic medalist, but breast cancer put a potential block on that. Luckily, thanks to the Mayo Clinic, she was able to leave Paris with a bronze medal.
Jessica Pegula is a World of Hyatt ambassador and shared the makes and breaks of hotel life while on tour.
A study shows that players who take bathroom/medical timeouts actually tend to have a better shot at turning the match around.
In case you missed it, recap all the Media Day magic here.
With the grass court comes the most dangerous and underrated shot — the slice.
The IX Newsletter: Six different women’s sports in your inbox every week!
Subscribe now and join us, just $6 a month or $60 a year. It’s the women’s sports media network we all wished for, and now it’s here!
Tweet of the Week
Carson Branstine had to play the No. 1 seed in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Wimbledon qualifying and THEN the main draw, but she took it in stride:
Five at The IX: Wimbledon Qualifiers
“In tennis, it is always about the achievement, lifting the trophies, the big moments. The achievements are just five minutes, 10 minutes, then it’s another day, a new week, another tournament.” – Renata Jamrichova
“I definitely like the grass. In a way it’s a living thing – I’m trying to be in touch with my spirituality in that sense, touching the grass, speaking to it, and I think it’s helping for the most part. It gives me that faith in myself with this surface.” – Bianca Andreescu
“Maybe not everyone knows me but I think I can beat anyone out there. I’m very confident I have the game to be put up against any player in the world and I’m glad that I’m able to show it today in these moments.” – Carson Branstine
“My mind and focus is here on the singles but it feels great to be a returning champion and I’m here to win another one. That’s the goal.” – Taylor Townsend
“It feels so good. I’d gotten wild cards for the other main draws I’d played. So it was a little intimidating to know that I’d have to win three matches in a row, because I’ve never had to do that before.” – Iva Jovic
| Mondays: Soccer |
| By: Annie Peterson, @AnnieMPeterson, AP Women’s Soccer |
| Tuesdays: Tennis |
| By: Joey Dillon, @JoeyDillon, Freelance Tennis Writer |
| Wednesdays: Basketball |
| By: Howard Megdal, @HowardMegdal, The Next |
| Thursdays: Golf |
| By: Marin Dremock, @MDremock, The IX |
| Fridays: Hockey |
| By: @TheIceGarden, The Ice Garden |
| Saturdays: Gymnastics |
| By: Lela Moore, @runlelarun, Freelance Writer |
