This quarter was supposed to be heavy and now it is.
Elena Rybakina made her second-round match look almost too easy, beating Caty McNally 6-1, 6-2 to keep the bottom of the section under firm control. Amanda Anisimova, by contrast, had to fight through a full American scrap, edging Sofia Kenin 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(3).
That contrast tells the early story of this part of the Wimbledon draw.
Rybakina is moving like the cleanest title threat in the quarter. Anisimova is still alive, but she has already had to win the kind of match that can drain a player before the second week even comes into view.
Around them, Madison Keys, Linda Noskova, Liudmila Samsonova, Marie Bouzkova and Elise Mertens all advanced.
The names are thinning.
The danger is not.
Anisimova Survives an American Test Against Kenin
Anisimova’s 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(3) win over Kenin was exactly the sort of match that made this quarter look so dangerous when the draw came out.
Kenin is not an easy second-round opponent. She may be unseeded here, but she brings major-winning pedigree, early ball-striking and the ability to disrupt rhythm before an opponent feels settled. Anisimova handled the opening set well, taking it 6-2, but Kenin pushed back in the second and forced the match into a deciding set.
That is where Anisimova’s nerve had to hold.
The No. 6 seed found enough control in the final-set tiebreak, winning it 7-3 to avoid a damaging early exit. It was not clean. It was not comfortable. It was still a valuable win.
Anisimova vs Kenin – Full Match Stats
| Statistic | Anisimova | Kenin |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 1.14 | 0.88 |
| Winners | 42 | 14 |
| Unforced Errors | 46 | 20 |
| Serve Rating | 267 | 228 |
| Aces | 20 | 0 |
| Double Faults | 6 | 6 |
| 1st Serve % | 68% (71/105) | 66% (59/90) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 72% (51/71) | 69% (41/59) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 47% (16/34) | 39% (12/31) |
| Break Points Saved | 60% (6/10) | 50% (5/10) |
| Service Games | 73% (11/15) | 67% (10/15) |
| Ace % | 19% | 0% |
| Double Fault % | 5.7% | 6.7% |
| Return Rating | 175 | 148 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 31% (18/59) | 28% (20/71) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 61% (19/31) | 53% (18/34) |
| Break Points Won | 50% (5/10) | 40% (4/10) |
| Return Games | 33% (5/15) | 27% (4/15) |
| Pressure Points | 55% (11/20) | 45% (9/20) |
| Service Points | 64% (67/105) | 59% (53/90) |
| Return Points | 41% (37/90) | 36% (38/105) |
| Net Points | 53% (9/17) | 57% (4/7) |
| Total Points | 53% (104/195) | 47% (91/195) |
| Match Duration | 2h03m | |
In a section this tough, survival counts.
Anisimova now moves forward with a hard match already behind her.
Keys Makes Quick Work of Swan
Madison Keys also moved through, beating British wildcard Katie Swan 6-1, 6-4.
The No. 26 seed did what big hitters should do in this kind of match: start fast, take time away, and stop the home player from building belief through the crowd. Swan steadied enough to make the second set more competitive, but Keys had already taken command.
That keeps a possible Anisimova-Keys collision alive.
On grass, that would be a pure first-strike contest: huge timing, short points, heavy returns and very little room for passive tennis. Keys is seeded lower, but her game is dangerous enough to make any opponent uncomfortable if the serve and forehand line up.
Anisimova survived Kenin.
Keys is waiting with a very different kind of threat.
Swan vs Keys – Full Match Stats
| Statistic | Swan | Keys |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 0.78 | 1.29 |
| Winners | 12 | 16 |
| Unforced Errors | 18 | 18 |
| Serve Rating | 172 | 247 |
| Aces | 0 | 3 |
| Double Faults | 6 | 2 |
| 1st Serve % | 57% (31/54) | 56% (40/72) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 55% (17/31) | 65% (26/40) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 35% (8/23) | 50% (16/32) |
| Break Points Saved | 58% (7/12) | 75% (6/8) |
| Service Games | 38% (3/8) | 78% (7/9) |
| Ace % | 0% | 4.2% |
| Double Fault % | 11.1% | 2.8% |
| Return Rating | 132 | 215 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 35% (14/40) | 45% (14/31) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 50% (16/32) | 65% (15/23) |
| Break Points Won | 25% (2/8) | 42% (5/12) |
| Return Games | 22% (2/9) | 63% (5/8) |
| Pressure Points | 45% (9/20) | 55% (11/20) |
| Service Points | 46% (25/54) | 58% (42/72) |
| Return Points | 42% (30/72) | 54% (29/54) |
| Net Points | 57% (4/7) | 53% (8/15) |
| Total Points | 44% (55/126) | 56% (71/126) |
| Match Duration | 1h29m | |
Noskova and Cirstea Keep the Top Half Sharp
Linda Noskova is also through, beating Camila Osorio 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.
The No. 9 seed had to respond after losing the second set, but she finished strongly. That is a useful sign in a quarter where clean wins are hard to find. Noskova’s serve, flat power and willingness to take the ball early all fit grass well, and she remains one of the most obvious obstacles near Anisimova’s route.
Sorana Cirstea, seeded No. 17, beat Kimberly Birrell 6-3, 6-4.
Cirstea’s experience and clean hitting give this top half another steady threat. She is not the loudest name in the section, but she can punish loose play and will not fear the bigger seeds if she reaches them.
The top half now has Anisimova, Keys, Cirstea and Noskova still standing.
That is not a soft pathway.
It is a cluster of players who can all hit through the court.
Samsonova Removes Shnaider in a Big-Hitting Battle
The bottom half of the quarter opened with a major result: Liudmila Samsonova beat No. 15 seed Diana Shnaider 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.
That is a big win.
Shnaider’s left-handed power made her one of the more dangerous seeded players in this section. Samsonova took her out by doing what she does best: serving big, hitting flat, and keeping points on her terms often enough to break the match open in the third set.
This result changes the middle of Rybakina’s half.
Samsonova is now one of the players nobody will want to face on grass. Her form can swing, but her best level is built for quick courts. If she catches rhythm, anything can happen.
Bouzkova Ends Grant’s Qualifying Run
Marie Bouzkova ended Tyra Caterina Grant’s run with a 7-5, 6-3 win.
Grant had done excellent work to come through qualifying and win her first main-draw match, but Bouzkova is a difficult player to rush. The No. 21 seed has patience, movement and enough grass confidence to make younger opponents work through several layers before they find a clean opening.
That was the difference here.
The first set was tight, but Bouzkova took it 7-5 and then moved away in the second. Her steadiness gives this quarter another kind of danger. While players like Rybakina, Samsonova, Keys and Anisimova can hit opponents off the court, Bouzkova can make them miss from positions they expect to control.
In this quarter, that contrast is useful.
Mertens Turns Her Match Around Brutally
Elise Mertens had to recover, but once she did, she ran straight through Maria Timofeeva.
The Belgian beat the Uzbek qualifier 2-6, 6-3, 6-0, turning a poor start into a ruthless finish. Timofeeva took the opening set and looked ready to extend her Wimbledon run, but Mertens reset the match quickly and then delivered a final-set bagel.
That is a very Mertens-style win.
She does not always overwhelm opponents from the first ball, but she solves matches well. She adjusts, absorbs, and then makes the scoreboard look cleaner than the beginning suggested.
Mertens now remains one of the most experienced names in Rybakina’s corner of the draw. She’s even up against Rybakina next.
Rybakina Looks Like the Cleanest Force in the Quarter
Rybakina’s 6-1, 6-2 win over McNally was the most convincing headline performance in this section.
McNally can be awkward on grass. She has doubles instincts, net comfort and enough variety to disrupt rhythm. Rybakina allowed none of that to become a real factor.
The No. 2 seed moved through with authority, keeping points short and letting her excellent returning and first strike do the heavy work. That is exactly how Rybakina wants Wimbledon matches to look.
McNally vs Rybakina – Full Match Stats
| Statistic | McNally | Rybakina |
|---|---|---|
| Dominance Ratio | 0.61 | 1.65 |
| Winners | 8 | 20 |
| Unforced Errors | 18 | 21 |
| Serve Rating | 206 | 283 |
| Aces | 1 | 1 |
| Double Faults | 4 | 3 |
| 1st Serve % | 76% (37/49) | 55% (30/55) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 46% (17/37) | 80% (24/30) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 58% (7/12) | 56% (14/25) |
| Break Points Saved | 60% (6/10) | 100% (3/3) |
| Service Games | 43% (3/7) | 100% (8/8) |
| Ace % | 2% | 1.8% |
| Double Fault % | 8.2% | 5.5% |
| Return Rating | 64 | 193 |
| 1st Return Points Won | 20% (6/30) | 54% (20/37) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 44% (11/25) | 42% (5/12) |
| Break Points Won | 0% (0/3) | 40% (4/10) |
| Return Games | 0% (0/8) | 57% (4/7) |
| Pressure Points | 46% (6/13) | 54% (7/13) |
| Service Points | 49% (24/49) | 69% (38/55) |
| Return Points | 31% (17/55) | 51% (25/49) |
| Net Points | 56% (5/9) | 65% (11/17) |
| Total Points | 39% (41/104) | 61% (63/104) |
| Match Duration | 1h11m | |
Too many people see Rybakina win comfortably and assume the serve did the damage. This match was a reminder that it is not always the serve. Often, the overlooked weapon in her game is the return.
Against McNally, Rybakina kept getting into return games, created break chances, and this time converted the openings she fought for. The scoreboard ran away because she was sharp on return and relatively ruthless once she had a look at the break.
Among the leading names in this quarter, Rybakina now looks better than 2 days ago.
The Quarter Is Still Stacked
The projected Anisimova-Rybakina quarter-final is still alive.
But the route toward it remains brutal.
Anisimova has Keys, Cirstea and Noskova still in her half. Rybakina has Samsonova, Bouzkova and Mertens still moving through hers. That is a lot of quality for one quarter, and it gives the draw the same chaotic edge it had before the tournament began.
Rybakina Sets the Standard, Anisimova Holds On
After two rounds, Rybakina looks like the player who has improved the most, while still having even more room to sharpen her serving.
Today, she has played like a No. 2 seed who knows exactly how her game should work on grass.
Anisimova is still very much alive, but her Wimbledon has already required more emotional and physical strain. Kenin forced her to win a final-set tiebreak. Keys may bring even more power next. Noskova is still looming in the wider top half.
That does not mean Anisimova cannot come through. She absolutely can. Her ball-striking is clean enough to beat anyone in this section.
But Rybakina has made the cleaner start.
In the wildest quarter of the Wimbledon draw, that may be the biggest advantage so far.