Elena Rybakina and Maria Sakkari will meet in the second round of Wimbledon on Thursday, July 3. The match will tentatively start at 10:10 a.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN.
Rybakina won Wimbledon in 2022 and started this week with the second-best odds behind Aryna Sabalenka. Still, in a tournament filled with surprises, she will need to confirm her chances without looking ahead.
Find my Wimbledon Second Round preview and Rybakina vs Sakkari prediction for Thursday below.
Elena Rybakina vs Maria Sakkari Player Prediction
- Rybakina vs Sakkari Pick: Under 20.5 (-145, BetMGM)
My Rybakina vs Sakkari best bet is Under 20.5 total games. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live Wimbledon odds page.
Rybakina vs Sakkari Odds
| Elena Rybakina Odds | -700 |
| Maria Sakkari Odds | +450 |
| Over/Under | 20.5 (+100o / -145u) |
| Rybakina vs Sakkari H2H | 4-1 |
| Time | How to Watch | Thursday, 9:10 a.m. ET | ESPN, ESPN+ |
| Odds via BetMGM | |
Carlos Avilan's Rybakina vs Sakkari Preview, Prediction
Elena Rybakina Betting Preview
The 2022 Wimbledon champion started strong with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Elina Avanesyan on Tuesday in just 61 minutes.
It would be tempting for her to see the bottom half of the draw and dream about making the final without issues after Coco Gauff's early exit. The American was supposed to be the main obstacle for Rybakina, being the second seed, but the Roland Garros champion suffered a shock defeat against Dayana Yastremska.
Now, Rybakina would have to possibly face Iga Swiatek, Daria Kasatkina, and Barbora Krejcikova/Mirra Andreeva on her path to an eventual final. However, as this year's Wimbledon has proven in both men's and women's singles, she'd better think about the present and nothing else.
Her calling card is her service game, especially on grass, as it allows her to serve and volley when needed to increase the tempo.
Rybakina has won 80% of her service games in 2025 and can also return very well. Her strong forehand and quick feet enable her to take advantage of this surface.
She is considered the fifth-best on grass in the EloRatings charts, compared to her 11th position in the WTA rankings.
Maria Sakkari Betting Preview
Maria Sakkari has regressed since ranking 32nd at the end of last year, and even more so if we consider her best version, the one that ranked third overall in March 2022.
She is 16-19 this year and didn't make it past the Round of 16 in any of the three tournaments she played this grass season.
Her experience is a factor that could serve her well if her rival starts making mistakes, which is something she will need Rybakina to do constantly to have a chance.
Sakkari has reached the third round of Wimbledon four times in her career, with the most recent one being last year. To make it a fifth time, she will have to deliver another shocking result this week.
Her powerful forehand remains a valuable asset, but she will need to handle Rybakina's serves effectively.
Rybakina vs Sakkari Predictions, Betting Analysis
Rybakina has a 30-12 record this year and has made it at least to the quarterfinals in each of the past three Wimbledon editions.
Before London, she had a great performance in Berlin that was cut short in the quarterfinals because she ran into Sabalenka, although she did fight hard in that three-set defeat: 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-7(6).
Sakkari played a very passive match in the first round, rarely going to the net. That will not work against the former Wimbledon champion.
Rybakina dominates her Greek rival 4-1 in their head-to-head matches, all of which have been played on hard courts. The last one occurred in the United Cup in Australia this year, and she won in straight sets — 6-4, 6-3 — which could be the result here as well.
Pick: Under 20.5 (-145, BetMGM)
