Aryna Sabalenka vs Jelena Ostapenko Preview & Tips - Sabalenka to continue march towards Wimbledon crown

Jelena Ostapenko needed little time to knock Antonia Ruzic out as she secured a 6-2 6-0 win. 

The pair have met four times before, with Sabalenka winning three matches and Ostapenko winning once. 

Aryna Sabalenka continues to impress at Wimbledon in 2026, with her opening two matches seeing her win with an aggregate score of 4-0. 

Her 6-2 6-3 win over Teodora Kostovic was a simple one, while she was given more of a workout against McCartney Kessler in the second round. Indeed, her 6-1 win in the first set was followed by a battling 7-6 win as Sabalenka teetered on the edge of dropping a set. 

Grass court matches continue to prove tough for Sabalenka, with 45 wins and 22 defeats across her career showing she is not perfect. Meanwhile, her semi-final exit at Wimbledon in 2025 came with Sabalenka heavily tipped for glory. While I predict that she will win this one, big question marks still hang over her ability to secure the biggest trophy in tennis on grass.

Jelena Ostapenko has not been great in 2026, with 21 wins and 14 defeats coming across her campaign so far. 

Positively, a 6-3 3-6 6-4 win over Harriet Dart was quickly followed by a far more comfortable 6-2 6-0 win over Antonia Ruzic in the second round. Ostapenko looks to be building with each performance, but can she take her game to a high enough level to beat Sabalenka?

In 2026, Ostapenko has suffered second round exits at both the Australian Open and French Open. This came on the back of first round exits in 2025 at Wimbledon and the Australian Open, while she was eliminated at the US Open in the second round and at the French Open in the third round. 

While Ostapenko is an undoubtedly talented player, she has struggled at Grand Slams of late, and I back Wimbledon in 2026 to prove another missed chance to secure a Slam.