Sabalenka wins into Second Round, Jabeur Exits Early in Wimbledon Heat
LONDON — World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka made a winning return to Wimbledon on Monday, defeating Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine 6-1, 7-5 in the opening round, as temperatures soared past 30°C. On the same day, two-time finalist was forced to retire from her match after experiencing physical distress on the tournament’s hottest recorded opening day.
Sabalenka returned to Centre Court for the first time since missing last year’s event due to a shoulder injury. The 26-year-old made a dominant start against Branstine, breaking twice to take the opening set in just 26 minutes. In the second, Branstine used her powerful serve to challenge the Belarusian, holding serve consistently until Sabalenka broke at 5-5 to seal the match.
“I’m super happy to be back, to be healthy, and to compete at this beautiful tournament,” Sabalenka said after the win. “I missed the energy here last year. This feels amazing.”
The match took place under clear skies and punishing heat, adding difficulty for both players. Sabalenka closed out the win in 90 minutes to avoid a deciding set in the sweltering weather.
Branstine, ranked No. 194, entered the main draw through qualifying. Though she failed to upset the top seed, she earned praise for her composed second-set play. Her powerful serve disrupted Sabalenka’s rhythm and forced deeper rallies.
Earlier in the day, Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur was visibly unwell during her match against Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova. Jabeur, who reached the Wimbledon final in 2022 and 2023, left the court for a medical timeout in the first set. She returned after a 14-minute break but continued to struggle before retiring while trailing 7-6 (7-5), 2-0.
“I wasn’t expecting not to feel good,” Jabeur said in a brief statement after exiting the match. “I’ve been practicing well the past few days, but I guess these things happen. I’m pretty sad.”
Medical personnel took Jabeur’s blood pressure courtside after she complained of dizziness and fatigue. She covered her face with a towel and applied an ice pack to her neck during a changeover, but her condition did not improve.
“I’ll take some rest and try to disconnect a little bit from tennis,” she added. “It’s been a really tough season.”
Jabeur has dropped to world No. 59 after a year of injury setbacks. Her early exit marked an emotional start to a tournament she once came close to winning.
Later, Italian Jasmine Paolini staged a comeback against Anastasija Sevastova, winning 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. Paolini, who was runner-up in this year’s French Open, recovered from a slow start to secure her place in round two.
Madison Keys, the reigning Australian Open champion, also needed three sets to get through her opener. She edged past Romania’s Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-7 (4-7), 7-5, 7-5 in a match that stretched over two hours.
Czech left-hander Markéta Vondroušová, last year’s Wimbledon champion, had a smoother outing. She beat McCartney Kessler 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) to book a second-round match against Britain’s Emma Raducanu. Vondroušová, who recently returned to form by winning the Berlin Open, looked confident on her return to SW19.
Wimbledon continues Tuesday with more first-round action and rising temperatures expected to persist across the All England Club. Players and fans are being advised to take precautions as the heatwave continues into the tournament’s opening week.
