Jannik Sinner had to go five sets to win his opening match at Wimbledon 2026. Andrey Rublev and Casper Ruud were not as lucky and were knocked out of the tournament. Top seed Aryna Sabalenka, however, was in no mood to challenge fate.
Against 19-year-old Serbian Teodora Kostovic, a player who will likely have an impact on the WTA in future years, Sabalenka blasted forehands and backhands at will. She overpowered an opponent who was not yet ready to return such force. Almost any chance to take advantage, Sabalenka did so.
Kostovic was constantly put in positions where she was uncomfortable. She served well enough and didn't defeat herself in that aspect, but she had twice as many unforced errors as winners. To even call most of what she did "unforced" is unfair, but statistics have to be done in a certain way, of course.
Aryna Sabalenka easily sweeps past Teodora Kostovic in the first round of Wimbledon 2026
The truth is that the Serbian was under such duress because she needed to try to do anything possible to change the narrative of a match that she had no control over. She lost her serve to open the match, and then lost her next service game, too. It was 4-0 in the first set before the 19-year-old could finally get a win.
At this point, she was simply hoping the second set would be better. It would only be slightly better. Sabalenka didn't get her first break until it was 3-2, but then got another to get to 5-2. Instead of suffering a meltdown as she did at the French Open, she was racing through an opponent she was obviously better than. She wants to be a threat to win her first Wimbledon title, after all.
To her credit, Teodora Kostovic didn't fade away easily. She was stunningly able to get a break with Aryna Sabalenka trying to serve out the match. The Serbian would have to run off a bunch of wins in a row, though, to get back to even the match.
The WTA No. 1 got the break right back, however, and took set two 6-3. She had avoided the potential upset bug that hit Rublev and Ruud, and almost bit Sinner, too.
Sabalenka will next face McCartney Kessler in the second round. The two have only played once before with the Belarusian beating the American at Indian Wells in 2025.
