Irina-Camelia Begu vs Kaja Juvan

WTA Wimbledon – 1st Round
Irina-Camelia Begu vs Kaja Juvan

🧠 Form & Context

• Irina-Camelia Begu
  🩹 Struggling with form and fitness: The Romanian veteran has not won a Slam match since RG 2024 and retired injured in her most recent Slam outing in Paris.
  📉 Season in decline: First-round or qualifying losses in 9 of her last 11 events. Now ranked outside the Top 100.
  ⚠️ Rust and recovery: Has not played a grass match in over a year and is entering this Slam straight off a leg injury.
  🏛️ Experience edge: Has reached Wimbledon R3 three times in her career and owns over 550 career wins, but most of her recent success has been on clay.
• Kaja Juvan
  🔥 Red-hot form: Has won 19 of her last 22 matches, including Wimbledon qualifying where she didn’t drop a set.
  📈 Rebuilding year: Returned to the tour in January after time away and has rebuilt confidence with a W75 title and 125K runner-up finish.
  🏆 Proven on grass: 4–0 in Wimbledon first rounds and 17–8 career record on grass—a surface she quietly thrives on.
  💪 Fully match-tough: Played 42 matches in 2025 alone; Begu has played only 19.

🔍 Match Breakdown

This is a classic case of a surging qualifier with rhythm versus a rusty veteran clinging to experience. Juvan's biggest asset right now is fitness—she’s sharp, agile, and mentally locked in. Begu, by contrast, is likely entering this match underprepared physically and rhythmically after weeks off.

Juvan will try to use her forehand to open the court, mix up tempo, and take time away from the slower Begu. The Romanian does have solid flat power and great baseline feel, but she’ll likely be stretched on grass and may struggle to maintain consistency across multiple sets.

The head-to-head favors Begu 1–0, but that was back in 2019, when Juvan was still a teenager. Fast forward to now, and the Slovenian’s edge in speed, confidence, and health is too hard to ignore.

🔮 Prediction

Unless Begu’s experience and ball-striking magic somehow click quickly, this is Juvan’s match to lose. The surface suits her game, and Begu’s recent inactivity and lingering injury concerns are red flags.
Prediction: Juvan in 2 sets, with potential for a brief fight in the opener. Expect the Slovenian to dominate the longer exchanges.