Kimberly Birrell vs Donna Vekić

WTA Wimbledon – 1st Round
Kimberly Birrell vs Donna Vekić

🧠 Form & Context

• Donna Vekić
  🪫 Slumping since silver: After winning Olympic silver in Paris last year, she hasn’t reached a single quarterfinal.
  📉 String of early exits: Out in the first round at 8 of her last 12 events.
  🌱 Grass credentials: 2024 Wimbledon semifinalist and Bad Homburg finalist, but just 1 win in this year’s grass swing.
  🎢 Still a threat: Dangerous if her serve and forehand click—but rhythm has been elusive in 2025.


• Kimberly Birrell
  🌿 Grass-active: 6–4 on grass this season, with R2 showings in Rosmalen and Eastbourne, and a QF run at Birmingham 125K.
  🧱 Mixed 2025: Started strong on hard (Brisbane & Singapore QFs), but went 1–5 on clay.
  🎓 Wimbledon milestone: Debuts in the Wimbledon main draw at age 27.
  🎾 Slam history: 2–8 in Grand Slam R1s—both wins in Melbourne.

🔍 Match Breakdown

This matchup is tighter than it appears on paper. Vekić carries the seed and past grass-court pedigree, but her current form is brittle. Since her deep run last year at SW19, her confidence has wavered, and her movement and execution have been suspect—particularly in pressure moments.

Birrell, in contrast, enters with solid match fitness and familiarity with the conditions. She’s been grinding out wins on grass this month and brings a disciplined, low-risk style that could frustrate Vekić if rallies stretch and her timing dips.

Vekić leads the head-to-head 2–1, but Birrell pushed her at the 2024 US Open, and both players have trended in opposite directions since. If Birrell stays mentally composed and targets Vekić’s backhand and movement, this match could tilt her way—especially if it goes three sets.

🔮 Prediction

Vekić’s serve-and-strike blueprint can win matches fast, but right now, her execution isn’t reliable enough. Birrell is the more consistent player, and she’s played more competitive matches on grass in the past month. Unless Vekić finds her 2024 form overnight, she’s vulnerable again.

Prediction: Birrell in 3 sets — tactical, physical, and possibly emotional edge favors the Aussie.