"She finds herself in a good spot": Martina Navratilova shares reason behind naming Aryna Sabalenka favourite for Wimbledon title

Wednesday, 25 June 2025 at 16:15

Former world number one Martina Navratilova believes that losing the French Open final will give Aryna Sabalenka extra motivation for Wimbledon 2025. The second Grand Slam of the year will begin on June 30.

Sabalenka will enter the mega-event as a top-seeded player. She is going through a mixed season. Although she won 42 out of 50 matches this year, Sabalenka has only managed to win three titles despite featuring in 11 events.

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Four out of her eight defeats in 2025 came in the finals of the competitions. One of those finals was at the French Open, where she came second-best against America’s Coco Gauff with a score of 6-7, 6-2, 6-4. It was her second defeat in the final of the Grand Slam in 2025. Earlier, America’s Madison Keys got the better of her in the final of the Australian Open in January.

Despite those heartbreaks, former world number one Navratilova believes that Sabalenka will be one of the favourites to lift the Wimbledon title this year. The 68-year-old stated that losing the French Open final would give Sabalenka more motivation to succeed in London.

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“Looking at her record, it’s hard to think she’s not the favorite this year,” said Navratilova while talking to WTA’s official website. “She’s a complete player and has a good game for grass. It’s hard to find a weakness or an opening against her. I’m wondering if losing the French Open final will actually help motivate her. I think she finds herself in a good spot.”

Those words will motivate Sabalenka, who does not have an excellent record while playing at Wimbledon. She has never played in the event's final. Her best outing was playing in the semifinals on two occasions, in 2021 and 2023, on both of which she lost to Karolina Pliskova and Ons Jabeur, respectively. Last year, Sabalenka did not participate in the competition after being forced to withdraw due to a fitness concern.

Aryna the guitarist? 🎸#Wimbledon | @SabalenkaA pic.twitter.com/qJGodFERlJ
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 24, 2025

Azeem Siddiqui

Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.

He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.

In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.

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