Wimbledon Day 1 preview: Sabalenka, Raducanu, Osaka ready to test the heat

WIMBLEDON -- The London tabloids are calling it Melting Monday.

Meteorologists predict a high of 34 degrees Celsius (93 Fahrenheit), which would smash the previous opening-day record of 29.3C, set in 2001 and come close to the hottest day in Wimbledon history -- 35.7C on July 1, 2015.

It’s the residual effect of a heat dome hovering over Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal. Rural areas of Spain could reach 47C (116F), matching the highest temperature ever recorded in Spain.

While the top players and those in the royal box will be protected by the retractable roofs over Centre Court and No. 1 Court, the outer courts will be operating under the Heat Rule, which allows a 10-minute break in play when the temperature reaches 30.1C (86F).

“I’m ready to embrace it,” British favorite Emma Raducanu said on Saturday. “I feel like the heat in the UK is extra hot. Even when the number says a certain level, it feels hotter always. 

“I’m prepared. I’m going to stay hydrated, do all the right things and, yeah, hopefully be OK.”

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Tournament organizers say they have “increased shaded areas, umbrellas and indoor spaces.” And a “detailed shade study” will allow stewards to “guide guests to the coolest areas.”

With that in mind, here are the hottest first-round matches, from the top half of the women’s draw on tap for Monday:

No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka vs. qualifier Carson Branstine

Head-to-head: 0-0.

Branstine, a 24-year-old from Canada, knocked off the No. 1 seed in qualifying, Lois Boisson, who was the talk of tennis when she inexplicably reached the semifinals at Roland Garros. Branstine followed it up with a three-set win over No.18-ranked Liudmila Samsonova at the Libema Open.

What does the World No. 1 know about Branstine?

“I know that she’s super pretty,” Sabalenka told reporters. “The other day I opened social media, and she was giving interview. I think she just qualified. I was like, ‘Oh, my God, this girl is so beautiful.’ 

“Then I opened the draw, and I see I’m playing the Canadian girl. That’s all I know so far.”

No. 4 Jasmine Paolini vs. Anastasija Sevastova

Head-to-head: 2-0, Paolini

She was a surprise finalist here last year, but after reaching the semifinals last week in Bad Homburg, Paolini is trying to downplay expectations.

“Especially on grass, everything can really happen,” she said. “I don’t know, just trying to focus on the first match, trying to play a good match with a good level.”

No. 5 Zheng Qinwen vs. Katerina Siniakova

Head-to-head: 2-1, Siniakova

As the head-to-head suggests, this is a tough matchup for Zheng, who lost her first-round matches the past two years and is 2-3 overall at Wimbledon.

Siniakova is a steadier 9-9 at Wimbledon and the defending champion, along with Taylor Townsend, in doubles -- one of three Wimbledon doubles titles for Siniakova.

No. 6 Madison Keys vs. Elena-Gabriela Ruse

Head-to-head: 1-0, Keys

One of the leading favorites here, Keys has the best record on grass among Top 10 players and at Wimbledon (25-10) as well. Keys ran into 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in the first round at Berlin, but has had more than a week to adapt to the courts at the All England Club.

Ruse will feel good about her chances. She won six straight matches, including qualifying, to reach the final of the recent Libema Open before falling to Elise Mertens.

No. 9 Paula Badosa vs. Katie Boulter

Head-to-head: 1-0, Badosa

When she’s healthy, Badosa can play with anyone on grass -- she’s reached the Round of 16 three times here. But after beating Top 10 player Emma Navarro in Berlin, she retired (right hip injury) after losing the first set to Wang Xinyu.

Boulter, too, is accomplished on grass; Wimbledon (7-6) is the only Grand Slam in which she has a winning record and she just reached the quarterfinals in Nottingham, losing to eventual champion McCartney Kessler.

Naomi Osaka vs. qualifier Talia Gibson

Head-to-head: 0-0

Osaka has won four hard-court Grand Slam titles, but is only 5-4 for her career at Wimbledon, having missed four of the past five tournaments. Gibson, a 21-year-old from Australia, won three qualifying matches to reach her third career major main draw.

Emma Raducanu vs. wild card Mingge Xu

Head-to-head: 0-0

Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, faces a 17-year-old wild card (ranked No. 300), also from Great Britain. Mingge has already played eight grass-court matches in recent weeks, winning half of them.

Ons Jabeur vs. Viktoriya Tomova

Head-to-head: 1-0, Jabeur

The two-time Wimbledon finalist went 2-2 in runup tournaments on grass. Tomova has won her first-round match at Wimbledon three of the four times she’s played.