World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka Opens Wimbledon Against 19-Year-Old Teodora Kostovic

Are you ready for some tennis? Let’s talk about a big match at Wimbledon — one of the most famous tennis tournaments in the world!

Who Are These Players?

Let’s meet the two players first.

Aryna Sabalenka is the number one ranked player in the whole world right now. She’s a super strong and powerful tennis player from Belarus. Even though she just lost earlier than expected at her last big tournament (the French Open, also called Roland Garros), most people still think she has a really good chance to win Wimbledon this year.

Teodora Kostovic is only 19 years old, and this is her very first time playing in a Grand Slam tournament! (A Grand Slam is one of the four biggest tennis events in the world.) She earned her spot by winning some qualifying matches, and she is stepping onto the big stage for the first time ever.

The Big Matchup

In the first round of Wimbledon, Sabalenka is going to face Kostovic. That means these two players will hit the tennis ball back and forth against each other right at the start of the tournament.

Here’s something cool — Kostovic actually wanted to play Sabalenka! After she won her qualifying matches, she said she hoped to face the number one player in the world. And guess what? She got her wish!

Kostovic Is Confident

Even though she’s playing the very best player in the world in her first-ever Grand Slam match, Kostovic isn’t scared at all. She said:

"Let’s see if she can deal with my power. Of course I can beat her. I can beat anybody when I’m in the zone."

That’s a pretty bold thing to say when you’re facing the number one player! It shows she believes in herself, and that’s important in sports.

What Do the Odds Say?

People who set betting odds (basically, they guess what will happen) think Sabalenka is going to win this match by a landslide. Here are the numbers:

• Aryna Sabalenka: -7000 (huge favorite)
• Teodora Kostovic: +1000 (big underdog)

The total number of games expected in the match is set at 17.5 games, which means experts think the match will be over pretty quickly.

What do the numbers mean? When you see a number like -7000, it means the player is expected to win. If a number has a + sign, like +1000, that means the person is the underdog — not many people expect them to win.

How to Watch the Match

Want to watch it yourself? Here are the details:

• Date: Monday, June 29
• Time: 10:30 a.m. EST
• TV Channel: ESPN / ESPN Unlimited

Has This Match Happened Before?

No! These two players have never played against each other before. And for Kostovic, this is her first Grand Slam match ever!

Aryna Sabalenka’s Wimbledon History

Sabenka hasn’t won Wimbledon yet — she’s never even made it to the final. But she’s done really well in recent years:

• She’s reached the semifinals in her last three Wimbledon appearances
• She didn’t play at Wimbledon in 2022 and 2024 (for different reasons)
• This year, she finished second at the Australian Open and lost in the quarterfinals at the French Open

Teodora Kostovic’s Background

This is Kostovic’s first time at a Grand Slam. She earned her spot by beating Zhu Lin (a more experienced player) 6-3, 6-4 in the final qualifying match. That was a great win! However, she didn’t qualify for the French Open earlier this year, even though the competition there was weaker.

What’s the Prediction?

Here’s the honest take:

• Kostovic is clearly talented — she’s only 19 and already playing at Wimbledon!
• But Sabalenka is the number one player in the world for a reason
• Sabalenka usually wins her first-round matches very quickly (she only needed 16 games at the Australian Open and 18 games at the French Open earlier this year)

So the prediction is: the match will end in under 17.5 games, meaning Sabalenka will probably win quickly and move on to the next round.

Summary

Here’s what you need to know:

• Aryna Sabalenka, the number one player in the world, is playing Teodora Kostovic, a 19-year-old making her Grand Slam debut
• This match will happen on Monday, June 29 at 10:30 a.m. EST on ESPN
• Kostovic earned her spot by winning qualifying matches and says she’s confident she can win
• The betting odds strongly favor Sabalenka
• Experts expect Sabalenka to win this match fairly quickly
• These two have never played each other before

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Wimbledon?
Wimbledon is one of the four biggest tennis tournaments in the world (called Grand Slams). It takes place every summer in London, England, on grass courts, and it’s the oldest tennis tournament in the world!

Who is Aryna Sabalenka?
She is the current number one ranked women’s tennis player in the world. She has won four Grand Slam tournaments and is known for her powerful hitting.

What is a "Grand Slam debut"?
A Grand Slam debut is when a player competes in one of the four biggest tennis tournaments for the very first time. For Teodora Kostovic, Wimbledon 2025 is that first time!

What does the -7000 odds number mean?
It means Sabalenka is expected to win. The bigger the number with a minus sign, the more likely that person is expected to win. -7000 means almost everyone thinks she’ll win.

Has Sabalenka ever won Wimbledon?
Not yet! She’s made it to the semifinals three times but has never reached the final. That’s one thing she still wants to accomplish in her career.

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