London, June 30 (UNI) World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka made a winning return to top flight tennis with a 6-1, 7-5 victory over debutant Carson Branstine in the first round at Wimbledon today.
The contest on Court No. 1 marked Sabalenka’s return to the grass-court Grand Slam after a shoulder injury sidelined her last year.
Sabalenka showed no signs of rust as she overpowered Branstine in a 73-minute match, mixing pace with precision to nullify the Canadian’s aggressive style.
The 24-year-old Branstine, ranked No.194, was making her maiden Grand Slam main draw appearance and put up a commendable fight, especially in the second set.
Branstine, who had declared before the match that she believed she could beat anyone, admitted nerves affected her early on. The Californian-born Canadian handed over a break in her very first service game with a misjudged volley, as Sabalenka raced through the opening set. However, the underdog avoided a first-set bagel with a hold at 1-5, drawing warm applause from the crowd.
Despite the setback, Branstine improved considerably in the second set, even creating a break point at 1-1 after a forehand error by Sabalenka. But the Belarusian closed the door on any comeback, tightening her game and sealing the set with a late break.
Branstine had drawn considerable pre-match buzz after an impressive qualifying run, where she defeated French Open semi-finalist Lois Boisson and former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu. Her off-court modeling pursuits also added to her growing profile, with even Sabalenka commenting on her Instagram: “Oh my God… this girl is so beautiful!”
The Canadian, who once dreamed of becoming a lawyer, held her own in rallies and displayed a “big game, big serve” style that may prove fruitful in future appearances. “Tough match, tough win. I’m grateful to be here and I feel I’m in a good place,” said Sabalenka, who will now prepare for sterner tests ahead in a challenging draw.
Branstine, meanwhile, leaves with heads turned and a valuable first taste of Grand Slam action on one of tennis’ biggest stages. UNI BDN SSP