June 24 (Reuters) – The following are some of the top contenders for the women’s singles title at Wimbledon, which begins on Monday:
IGA SWIATEK (POLAND)
* World ranking: 3
Defending champion Iga Swiatek has not reached a final in the WTA circuit since September, her longest time without doing so since her maiden Grand Slam triumph in 2020, partly due to last year’s recurring foot issue and an illness in April.
The 25-year-old looked nervous and error-prone during a round-of-16 loss to Marta Kostyuk at the French Open last month, but she believes the changes she has made to her footwork and service motion this year with coach Francisco Roig will ultimately improve her game.
“In the earlier years of my career, results came consistently and early. However, the brutal truth is that sport isn’t like that … I know that changes won’t bring immediate results, and I try to believe that I’m on the right path,” she told WP SportoweFakty this month.
ARYNA SABALENKA (BELARUS)
* World ranking: 1
Although Wimbledon remains the only Grand Slam where world number one Aryna Sabalenka has never reached the final, the 28-year-old reached the semis in her last three appearances, and remains one of the frontrunners this year.
But Sabalenka has been struggling with a performance slump since winning the “Sunshine Double” in the U.S. in March, as she became the first world number one to suffer a bagel in the deciding set in two consecutive tournaments: the French Open and the Berlin Open.
Sabalenka has never won a WTA singles title on grass. But the Belarusian, who has been the world number one since October 2024, has proved many times that she can fight her way to success against the odds.
ELENA RYBAKINA (KAZAKHSTAN)
* World ranking: 2
Elena Rybakina started 2026 on a high note as she won the Australian Open, her second Grand Slam title after her Wimbledon triumph in 2022.
But things have since taken a downward turn for the 27-year-old, who crashed out from the French Open’s second round, and has struggled in the grass season, losing at the Queen’s Club Championships in the quarter-finals before a round-of-16 exit from the Berlin Open.
Rybakina also had an injury scare last week when she pulled out of the Bad Homburg Open with a hip injury, and will hope that the extra rest helps her prepare better for Wimbledon.
COCO GAUFF (U.S.)
* World ranking: 7
Last year, Coco Gauff partnered with biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan to fix her serve and the nervous double faults that sometimes derailed the two-time Grand Slam champion, and left her at the top of the WTA’s charts with 431 double faults in 2025.
But despite many gruelling hours spent in practice, the 22-year-old’s new serve is far from perfect, as she leads the circuit again with 226 double faults in 2026, and is yet to win a title this year.
Gauff’s French Open title defence ended in the third round, and her grass season started with a round-of-16 loss at the Berlin Open, leaving her with her work cut out to defy expectations and hunt down her first WTA grasscourt title at Wimbledon.
MIRRA ANDREEVA (RUSSIA)
* World ranking: 5
“I want to thank myself for always believing in myself, for giving my all even in the toughest moments, and for continuing to fight against all inner demons,” Mirra Andreeva said in an emotional speech after winning her maiden Grand Slam at the French Open this month.
The 19-year-old’s steady improvement and ability to shine under pressure have been visible throughout the year, as she has reached four finals on the WTA circuit in 2026, winning three of them, culminating in the Roland Garros triumph.
Wimbledon also saw a glimpse of Andreeva’s potential last year, as she reached the last eight for the first time. Her newfound confidence can take her much closer to the top this year.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Alison Williams)
Comments