Branstine faces No. 1 Sabalenka in Wimbledon debut as six Canadians hit the grass

WIMBLEDON — Carson Branstine will step onto Wimbledon’s main stage for the first time next week — with a Grand Slam debut against the world No. 1.

The California-born qualifier, who represents Canada through family ties in Toronto, takes on top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in Monday’s opening round.

She’s one of six Canadians entered at the All England Club, joining Leylah Fernandez of Laval, Que., Denis Shapovalov of Richmond Hill, Ont., Montreal’s Felix Auger-Aliassime and Gabriel Diallo, as well as Ottawa’s Gabriela Dabrowski in doubles.

Fernandez, seeded 29th, also plays Monday against Britain’s Hannah Klugman and will team with New Zealand’s Lulu Sun in doubles Wednesday, while Dabrowski and New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe take on China’s Xinyu Yang and Saisai Zheng on the same day.

On the men’s side, No. 25 seed Auger-Aliassime faces Australia’s James Duckworth, No. 27 Shapovalov meets Argentina’s Mariano Navone, and Diallo, in his first Wimbledon main draw, goes up against Germany’s Daniel Altmaier. All three Canadian men are slated to play Monday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2025.