Daria Kasatkina Wins on Grass at Wimbledon 2026, Overcomes Form Strugg

Daria Kasatkina Wins on Grass at Wimbledon 2026, Overcomes Form Struggles

Daria Kasatkina, the adopted Australian tennis player, has won her first-round match at Wimbledon 2026 against Mimi Xu, overcoming form struggles to advance to the second round.

What happened?

Kasatkina, a former top 10 ranked player, arrived at Wimbledon without a win during the grass court season but managed to defeat English wildcard Mimi Xu 6-2 3-6 6-2. She attributed her win to her attitude and ability to handle her nerves, despite not being super happy with her level of play.

Why it matters for Daria Kasatkina

Kasatkina's win is a significant boost for her Australian tennis career, which has been marred by an injury that slowed her down earlier in the year. She now faces Janice Tjen, a talented Indonesian player who ousted former US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez in the opening round.

What comes next?

Kasatkina's next match will be against Tjen, who is known for her powerful serve and aggressive playing style. Kasatkina will need to be at her best to overcome Tjen's challenges and advance to the next round.

In an interview after her win, Kasatkina said, "I always think that in tennis the ranking never lies. That's the truth. If you're good, your ranking is good. If you're not good, the ranking is not good." She also mentioned that there are exceptions to this rule, citing Paula Badosa and Qinwen Zhang as examples of players who are ranked outside the top 100 but are still incredibly talented.

Kasatkina's win is a testament to her determination and resilience on the court. Despite struggling with form, she was able to execute her game plan and come out on top. Her next match against Tjen will be a challenging one, but Kasatkina is confident in her abilities and is looking forward to the opportunity to compete against a talented opponent.

Kasatkina's Australian Open as a local is the only major in the past two seasons where she has failed to win at least two matches. However, she has shown signs of improvement in recent weeks, including a strong performance at Roland Garros where she tested world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.

In conclusion, Kasatkina's win at Wimbledon 2026 is a significant milestone in her career, and she will be looking to build on this momentum in her next match against Tjen.

Date and Result

Date: 27 June 2026 Result: Daria Kasatkina wins against Mimi Xu 6-2 3-6 6-2

Next Match

Kasatkina's next match will be against Janice Tjen on 29 June 2026.