Wimbledon 2025 is almost here, and the excitement is sky-high. With strawberries and cream on standby, fans and experts are already predicting who might lift the trophy this time. The big question on everyone’s mind is: will Novak Djokovic make history with a 25th Grand Slam? Or will Carlos Alcaraz seal a Wimbledon hat-trick? On the women’s side, can Aryna Sabalenka bounce back after her French Open heartbreak? Or will an American like Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, or Madison Keys lift the trophy? With all eyes on the grass courts, it’s time to hear from someone who knows the surface like no one else, Martina Navratilova!
The legendary left-hander made Wimbledon her personal playground. She won nine singles titles at the All England Club, more than any other player, including Roger Federer. Her 120 match wins there is the highest for any player at a Grand Slam in the Open Era, outshining even Rafael Nadal’s 112 at Roland Garros.
So when Navratilova talks, the tennis world listens. She recently shared her top picks for Wimbledon in a conversation with the WTA Tour, and the top two names are no shocker. She’s backing Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff to do well, pointing to their strong form and recent results. But who is the third choice?
Enter Madison Keys. The 18-time Grand Slam champ said, “After winning Australia, there’s a huge weight off her shoulders. Weapons are what win on grass and she’s got them. I think she’s the third favorite to win the tournament, after Sabalenka and not far behind Gauff.”
That’s a strong vote of confidence. At the Australian Open, Keys produced one of the most impressive runs in recent Grand Slam history. She defeated four top-10 seeds—Danielle Collins, Elena Rybakina, Elina Svitolina, and Iga Świątek—to reach the final, where she overcame world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in three sets (6-3, 2-6, 7-5) to claim her maiden major title. So she’s definitely a strong contender.
And interestingly, Navratilova skipped current World No.3 Jessica Pegula for that spot. Pegula has quietly built one of the most consistent resumes on tour. She’s been a Top 20 fixture since 2021 and even made the US Open final last year. She already has two titles this season—one at the ATX Open and another in Charleston. She also made the quarterfinals at Roland Garros before falling to French player Lois Boisson.
Image Credits: Jessica Pegula/Instagram
But Navratilova feels Pegula needs a bit more fire to take the final step. Previously, she had talked about Pegula’s run at Wimbledon 2023, where the 31-year-old lost from 4-1 up in the third set to eventual champion Marketa Vondrousova. That was her best result at the tournament so far. In 2023, the tennis icon said, “Jessie has improved so much – if you saw her five years ago you wouldn’t have pegged her as a top five player. I still think she can beat these elite women if she can just find a little more belief in her attacking game. You’re not going to win a major strictly playing defence.”
Clearly, she still holds that view. In her latest WTA interview, Navratilova added, “I think her weapon is consistency — and a good volley because she’s played a lot of doubles. I would love to see her come forward more often and finish points at net. If the draw is even slightly friendly, she could get to the semis, and then she’s going to be confident, maybe more aggressive.”
Right now, Pegula is tuning up her grass game at the WTA 500 in Bad Homburg.
Jessica Pegula sets up all-American clash with Emma Navarro at Bad Homburg
After a singles exit in Berlin, Jessica Pegula arrived at the tournament as the No. 1 seed. She made a solid start, beating Kateřina Siniaková 6-2, 6-3 after getting a first-round bye. That win booked her a spot in the quarterfinals.
Next up, Pegula faces fifth seed Emma Navarro. It’s a rematch of their 2024 Miami Open battle, which Pegula won 7-6(1), 6-3 in the fourth round. The World No.10 has been in hot form this week. She knocked out Marta Kostyuk and wild card Naomi Osaka, both in straight sets. Ahead of their upcoming clash, Navarro was asked about her strategy. She joked, “Oh man, I can’t say too much. I am playing Jessica [Pegula] next round, and she might be listening from the hotel, so I can’t give away too much. I got to keep my cards close to my chest.”
Pegula saw that quote doing the rounds online and responded in hilarious fashion. She commented on Tennis Channel’s post, “gurl I was sitting in the corner watching .”
Wimbledon is around the corner, and the grass is getting greener. The legends have spoken—now it’s time for the players to prove them right or wrong. Who’s your pick to take the title at SW19 this year?
The post Jessica Pegula Snubbed as Martina Navratilova Lays American Hopes on This Player After Coco Gauff appeared first on EssentiallySports.
