Wimbledon's most stunning debutant Carson Branstine crashes out in first round
By JAMES COHEN
Wimbledon debutant Carson Branstine was sent crashing out of the tournament after a straight-set defeat to Aryna Sabalenka on Monday.
The World No. 1 secured a 6-1, 7-5 victory on Court No 1 in their first round clash, in what proved to be a difficult afternoon for fan favorite Branstine.
Branstine, 24, had been hopeful of producing one of Wimbledon's greatest underdog stories however, within minutes, Sabalenka quickly took control.
The first set flew by - with the Belarusian claiming it 6-1 - however Branstine restored some pride with a well-battled second set, which ended 7-5, in the sweltering heat.
Ranked world No 194, Branstine had been the talk of the tournament in the build-up to her match, given her unusual backstory which has led her to this point.
The American-born Canadian in part funded her WTA career with modelling work for brands including Zara and Lululemon.
Branstine is pictured out on Court No 1 before and during her match against Sabalenka
Branstine wore traditional Wimbledon white
Wimbledon debutant Carson Branstine was sent crashing out the competition in the first round
World No 1 Aryna Sabalenka cruised to a 6-1, 7-5 victory over the American-born Canadian
Branstine had become the talk of the tournament as fans noted her unusual backstory
She also delivered for Uber Eats earlier this year in Los Angeles to cover her expenses with her final delivery being the day before she flew to Cancun, where she went on to reach her first WTA 125K final.
'Modelling and tennis are weirdly similar: you are an object a lot, and people sometimes forget you’re a person too,' Branstine told Clay magazine last week.
'(But) I love being in front of the camera during a shoot. It’s fun, I love fashion. It’s been one of the reasons I’ve been able to pay some of my trips.
'I didn’t want to ask my parents for anything - I wanted everything to come from me and from my tennis,' she added.
A former collegiate athlete with represented American universities USC, UVA, and Texas A&M, Branstine secured a degree in Society, Ethics & Law with a minor in Philosophy and Sports Management before turning to tennis full time at the start of this season.
A junior doubles champion in her youth, Branstine's path was stymied after an extended spell on the sidelines during her college career.
The Wilhelmina Models mannequin underwent surgeries on both her knee and her hip, with Branstine acknowledging that injury woes had taken years off her time on court.
Her first order of business in Wimbledon qualifiers was an eye-catching one, with Branstine despatching French Open semi-finalist Lois Boisson in the first round.
Branstine was swept aside in the first set but put in a competitive performance in the second
The pair shared an embrace at the net after Sabalenka booked her place in the second round
Carson has also worked in family law way from the spotlight of the court and the camera
She has been open about how modelling helped to fund her tennis career
Next up was her old doubles partner Bianca Andreescu, her teenage partner with whom Branstine won the junior French and Australian Opens.
Six years on from the US Open, injury has set back Branstine's compatriot, and she too was dealt with in three sets by the 24-year-old.
Branstine had previously scored a major upset in the main draw of the Libema Open on grass at the start of June, despatching the number-one seed Liudmila Samsonova in the first round in the Netherlands.
Sabalenka, meanwhile, is the number-one seed in SW19 and has a serious case for claiming the Venus Rosewater Dish after appearing in the Australian Open and Roland-Garros finals this season.
Her last handful of attempts at the title have been abortive: banned in 2022 for her Belarusian citizenship, knocked out by Ons Jabeur in her 2023 semi-final, and withdrawn, crocked last year.
She'll face either Lulu Sun or Marie Bouzkova in the next round of Wimbledon.
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