Road to the Final for Wimbledon defending champion Elena Rybakina, set for potential semi-final with Sabalenka and Swiatek Final

Elena Rybakina will aim to defend her Wimbledon title and could potentially face Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals and Iga Swiatek in the final.

The Kazakh player began the grass court season as the clear favorite in the tournaments leading up to Wimbledon but didn't achieve good results. She had a victory against Polina Kudermetova but suffered a defeat to Donna Vekic at the Grass Court Championships Berlin. Rybakina was supposed to play at the Eastbourne Open last week but decided to withdraw, raising doubts about her physical condition heading into Wimbledon.

Last year, the world No. 3 didn't come into the tournament with the best sensations either, having only won one match prior to the Grand Slam. However, she managed to showcase the best form of her career and claim the title.

In her path this year, Rybakina will debut in the first round against American player Shelby Rogers, who has never advanced past the third round at the All England Club and is currently ranked No. 46 in the world.

If everything goes according to expectations, Rybakina would face Alize Cornet in the second round. Cornet reached the fourth round last year and surprised everyone by defeating Iga Swiatek in the third round, ending Swiatek's 37-match winning streak.

In the third round, Rybakina could potentially play against Bernarda Pera, who is in great form in 2023 and achieved her highest ranking as world No. 27. It will be Pera's first time being seeded at a Grand Slam in her career.

The fourth round would see a potential matchup against Beatriz Haaddad Maia, a Brazilian player who emerged as a rising star on the grass court circuit last year by winning the Nottingham Open. Since then, she has consistently improved her ranking and became a top-10 player at the age of 27. Jelena Ostapenko, who won the Birmingham Open and has previously been a champion on grass, could also be a possible opponent.

In the quarterfinals, the 6th seed Ons Jabeur could stand in Rybakina's way, setting up a potential rematch of last year's final where Rybakina defeated the Tunisian player in three sets. The semifinal could feature a rematch of the 2023 Australian Open final, as world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka would be the potential opponent.

If all goes as expected, the final could see Rybakina facing Iga Swiatek, provided both players live up to their favoritism. Rybakina has won three out of their four previous encounters, and on the grass surface, the Kazakh player would have a certain advantage over the current world No. 1, who has not yet achieved significant results on Grass.