Aryna Sabalenka vs Carson Branstine Tips, Prediction & Live Stream - Branstine can cover in Wimbledon debut

It's an intriguing match this one. Sabalenka has lost both the Australian Open and Roland Garros finals this year and the opening match at Wimbledon - when the grass is slick and at its most potent - can sometimes present problems and the chance for upsets are generally higher. While I don't think Branstine can cause one of the biggest shocks in recent Wimbledon history, I do think she can cover a rather large +6.5 games line.

Branstine is in the form of her life, winning six of her last seven matches on the lawns, including beating the likes of Liudmila Samsonova and Bianca Andreescu, while she will also be confident having qualified for her first Grand Slam main draw last week. The Canadian has a big serve and isn't the type that will be overawed by this occasion - in fact, she will be relishing the chance. Sabalenka went walkabout for a few weeks after her Australian Open final defeat and only played one tournament on grass before Wimbledon, losing to Marketa Vondrousova. Backing Branstine to cover.

Unsurprisingly, this will be the first career meeting between the pair.

Sabalenka comes into this contest having won 42 of her 50 matches this season and still the undisputed World No. 1.

However, Sabalenka has been left heartbroken twice this season in Grand Slam finals, going down to Madison Keys at the Australian Open and Coco Gauff recently at Roland Garros.

While titles in Brisbane, Miami and Madrid were great, Sabalenka plays for the slams and she will be desperate to go all the way at Wimbledon after missing last year's tournament with a shoulder injury.

Sabalenka's best result at Wimbledon have been a pair of semi-final finishes in 2021 and 2023. The top seed played just the one warm-up tournament on grass, beating Elena Rybakina in a three-set thriller berfore going down to Vondrousova in the Berlin quarter-finals.

Branstine heads into this showdown with a 24-12 record at all levels this season, rising to No. 194 in the latest rankings.

It's been an incredible rise over the last 18 months for Branstine, who has gone from outside the top 900 into the top 200.

A former standout junior before being struck down by various injuries, Branstine has made a big impact this short grass swing, qualifying for her first WTA main draw in s-Hertogenbosch and stunning Samsonova to make the second round.

The Canadian then successfully qualified for her maiden Grand Slam main draw at Roehampton last week, defeating former US Open champion Andreescu along the way, winning all of her three matches in a deciding set.