Wimbledon gets underway Monday, and the women’s singles draw is packed with talent, storylines, and a few question marks heading into the prestigious grass-court Grand Slam. Here are five players with a legitimate shot at the title:
IGA SWIATEK — POLAND (World Ranking: 3)
The defending champion arrives at Wimbledon having gone without reaching a WTA final since September — her longest such drought since she claimed her first Grand Slam back in 2020. A recurring foot problem last year and an illness in April have contributed to the rough stretch. At the French Open last month, the 25-year-old appeared shaky and mistake-prone in a round-of-16 defeat to Marta Kostyuk.
Still, Swiatek says she’s focused on the bigger picture. Working with coach Francisco Roig, she has been overhauling her footwork and serve mechanics. “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 said in a recent interview with WP SportoweFakty.
ARYNA SABALENKA — BELARUS (World Ranking: 1)
Wimbledon is the one Grand Slam where world number one Aryna Sabalenka has never made it to the final, though the 28-year-old has reached the semifinals in each of her last three appearances at the All England Club. She remains among the favorites heading into this year’s event.
That said, Sabalenka has hit a rough patch since capturing the “Sunshine Double” in the United States back in March. She made history in an unwanted way, becoming the first world number one to be shut out in the deciding set in back-to-back tournaments — at both the French Open and the Berlin Open. She has also never won a WTA singles title on grass. Still, Sabalenka, who has held the top ranking since October 2024, has a track record of rising to the occasion when the odds are against her.
ELENA RYBAKINA — KAZAKHSTAN (World Ranking: 2)
Rybakina opened 2026 in impressive fashion by winning the Australian Open — her second Grand Slam title, following her Wimbledon championship in 2022. Since then, however, the 27-year-old has struggled to find her footing. She was eliminated in the second round at the French Open and has had a difficult grass-court season, falling in the quarterfinals at the Queen’s Club Championships and in the round of 16 at the Berlin Open.
Adding to the concern, Rybakina withdrew from the Bad Homburg Open last week due to a hip injury. She’ll be hoping the additional rest gives her body the recovery time it needs heading into Wimbledon.
COCO GAUFF — UNITED STATES (World Ranking: 7)
In an effort to clean up the double faults that had plagued her game — she led the entire WTA tour with 431 double faults in 2025 — Gauff teamed up with biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan last year to rebuild her serve from the ground up. Despite putting in extensive work on the practice court, the 22-year-old’s serve troubles haven’t fully gone away. She currently leads the circuit again with 226 double faults in 2026 and has yet to win a title this year.
Her title defense at the French Open ended in the third round, and her grass-court season got off to a rough start with a round-of-16 exit at the Berlin Open. Gauff has never won a WTA title on grass, making Wimbledon a significant challenge — though she’s certainly capable of turning things around.
MIRRA ANDREEVA — RUSSIA (World Ranking: 5)
The youngest player on this list arrives at Wimbledon as perhaps the hottest player in women’s tennis right now. The 19-year-old captured her first Grand Slam title at the French Open this month, capping a remarkable run that included four WTA finals in 2026, with three victories.
In an emotional post-match speech at Roland Garros, Andreeva reflected on her journey: “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.”
Andreeva also showed her grass-court potential at last year’s Wimbledon, reaching the quarterfinals for the first time. With her confidence at an all-time high, she could be the player to beat this fortnight.
