Breaking Down 2025 Wimbledon Women’s Contenders

Earlier this week, we took a look at the main contenders for the Wimbledon title in the men’s draw. Today, we take a look at the contenders in the women’s draw.

It is a recurring theme of the last few years, but it is fair to say this Wimbledon Championship is wide open. There is no overwhelming favourite, and anyone who catches fire for two weeks can take the title.

2025 Wimbledon Women’s Contenders

Aryna Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka is the current World No. 1 and best player on tour. So far this year, Sabalenka has made the finals of the Australian Open and French Open (losing both to Madison Keys and Coco Gauff). However, Sabalenka won the titles in Brisbane, Miami, and Madrid. Sabalenka will want to validate her No. 1 ranking by winning a major tournament this year. She has two more opportunities to do it at Wimbledon and the US Open, where she is the defending champion.

As for Wimbledon, Sabalenka has made the semifinals there but is yet to make a final. The memo is that she is comfortable on grass and should be a threat. She has a big serve and moves well, plus is capable of coming to the net on transition with decent volleys. Despite all these good things, I think there is an ingredient missing for Sabalenka to become a dominant No. 1. She has played 38 finals so far, winning 20 and losing 18, which is a strike rate of just over 50 percent.

It is difficult to explain. When the pressure is on in big matches, the ball tends to fly off her racket, sometimes almost hitting the backboards. A real lack of control. I am not sure whether the nerves are causing these bad errors, or whether the racket and strings she chooses are not helping her control the ball. Sabalenka is reportedly using Luxilon Alu Power strings. These strings are known for their power in tennis but are not conducive to subtle skills, such as putting a slice on volleys.

Taking these things into consideration and considering the draw she gets, Sabalenka will not be considered the overwhelming favourite. Additionally, the way Sabalenka handled her losses in both Melbourne and Paris suggests that she is vulnerable, as certain Americans will likely try even harder should they meet her again.

Coco Gauff

In 2019, Coco Gauff caused shockwaves when she beat Venus Williams at Wimbledon as a 15-year-old.  Even saying that statement back is unbelievable. Gauff got to the fourth round that year, but what will surprise tennis fans is that she has not made any progress at Wimbledon since then.

In fact, as we have come to know Coco Gauff as a tennis player, it has become apparent that her game is not conducive to grass. She has many attributes for grass: fast-twitch fibres, elite athleticism, a great counterpuncher, a good serve (when she is not suffering from double faults). However, her forehand is a real issue on all surfaces, but on grass where you get rushed more, it is a bigger problem.

I have consistently pointed out one aspect of her forehand that I haven’t seen any other journalist or analyst talk about. Everyone focuses on Gauff’s western forehand grip. That is not the biggest problem. Gauff’s biggest problem is her forehand stance. She backs off, opens up her body, and hits too often off her back foot. I call this an outdated clay-court technique. It leads to two things: backing off further behind the baseline and injuries around the hip area. Gauff needs to start hitting more off the front foot, where she can step in more. Using either a semi open stance, or closed stance or using both, adapting to what’s required in the moment. Nerves often force Gauff to back off.

On clay and slow, high-bouncing hardcourts, Gauff can use her other attributes, such as her backhand and speed around the court. On grass, she doesn’t have time to do that.

Unless Gauff can come up with a solution for her forehand, I don’t see her getting to the final at Wimbledon this year.

My only caveat is that women’s tennis is completely unpredictable, so it would be foolish of me to write her off. But it is very unlikely that she will not adapt her form and technique.

Elena Rybakina

On the court, Rybakina’s year so far has been non-eventful. She won one title in Strasbourg last month, just before the French Open. However, at significant events, Rybakina has not made a significant impression. She lost early at the Australian Open and lost to Iga Swiatek in the fourth round of Roland Garros. Rybakina also lost early in the Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, and Rome Masters 1000 events.

It’s off the court where the drama has been. In November 2024, Rybakina made a universally popular appointment of Goran Ivanisevic as her head coach. By January 2025, this totally unravelled. She re-appointed her former coach, Stefan Vukov, without consulting Ivanisevic. Three’s a crowd, so Ivanisevic walked away. If that wasn’t crazy enough, Vukov was already suspended from coaching. Plus, after investigations is serving a twelve-month ban for abuse. Which Rybakina denies. It is also suggested that Rybakina and Vukov are in a relationship.

All this has done is ensure Rybakina is not progressing as a tennis player. In fact, she is regressing. Ivanisevic said he was looking forward to working with her as he thought he could “teach her something.” Ivanisevic was a tall, lean player who played a similar game to Rybakina. World-class serve, hit big groundstrokes, then attack the net on transition. On grass, he served and volleyed more.

Last year, Rybakina was the red-hot favourite to win the whole tournament but ran into Krejcikova in the semifinal. She won the first set but was surprisingly hauled back. Part of Rybakina’s problem is that she appears unable to arrest a slide in a match or turn around a situation. I believe she plays within herself, and is not willing to explore the limits, give maximum effort for an hour, and wants to be calm at all times.

That is not conducive to being a consistent champion. If we look at quiet champions, such as Steffi Graf and Pete Sampras, they were quiet but intensely focused; their opponents felt their intensity. That is not the case with Rybakina.

It is difficult to call Rybakina a favourite for Wimbledon, but she is one of the very few grass-court specialists on the Tour, so she must be considered.

Madison Keys

Madison Keys finally fulfilled a dream by winning her first major title in January. Defeated No. 1 Sabalenka in the final of the Australian Open.

It has been a long struggle. Keys suffered a lot of disappointment and injury, but the “key” is that she was always knocking at the door. I saw Keys win her first grass title in Eastbourne in 2014, when she beat Angelique Kerber in a three-set blockbuster. A lot of big things were predicted, and Keys was managed by one of the top agents in Max Eisenbud.  Keys never realised her full potential, but over the years, she made several quarterfinal and semifinal appearances at major tournaments. Keys also lost the 2017 US Open final to Sloane Stephens.

As for Wimbledon, with Keys’ game, one would expect better results. Keys does not possess fast-twitch fibres but is a big hitter in the Lindsay Davenport mould. Davenport was Keys’ coach for an extensive period. Keys does not possess Davenport’s ability to come to the net, which makes a difference on a grass court. That could be a reason she has not done better. However, with good results so far this year, there is an opportunity for Keys to make a deep run at Wimbledon.

Other Players To Watch

Marketa Vondrousova

Surprise winner in 2023 (well, big surprise); Vondrousova has suffered the inevitable dip and numerous injuries. She is back now and just won Berlin last weekend. With her crafty lefty game a threat if she gets it together.

Barbora Krejcikova

A surprise winner in 2024, the Czechs surprised us two years in a row. Although another common denominator is injuries. Krejcikova has suffered all sorts of problems, including her back, but is once again on the comeback trail. Not expected to defend her title, but can get a few wins under her belt and avoid a first-round blowout.

Iga Swiatek

I have been writing recently that Swiatek’s fall from No. 1 is remarkably similar to Jim Courier’s fall back in the 1990s. They both play a typical game, relying on bullying their opponents with inside-out forehands, physicality, superior fitness, and mental strength.

I don’t expect Swiatek to fall from number 1 to out of the Top 10 like Courier did. But she has to be careful. She is now No. 8 and has not won a title in over a year. The way to arrest the slide is to add more elements to her overall game to keep improving. That includes a transition game, among other things.  Swiatek is not a Wimbledon contender, but some good wins could help with her confidence for the rest of the season.

Jasmine Paolini

Paolini was a Wimbledon finalist last year and won the Italian Open last month. There is a feeling that Paolini is finally starting to struggle to stay Top 5, which is a big ask for a petite player. If Paolini loses early at Wimbledon as she did at the French, she will lose a lot more ranking points.

Mirra Andreeva

The talk of tennis right now is Andreeva, the teenager everyone is looking to for a breakthrough.

I am not sure when that breakthrough will come at a major level. She has a very competent game; very steady from the baseline and recognises a short ball well. I don’t see any additional ingredients yet that could help her transition to a champion. Maybe it will come at this Wimbledon.

Ons Jabeur

Two-time finalist in 2022 and 2023. Didn’t take her opportunity in 2023 when she was the overwhelming favourite. It looks like that opportunity has passed, unfortunately.