“I’d love to see her make some noise at Wimbledon”-these words from Chanda Rubin about Coco Gauff echo the sentiment of millions of tennis fans. Though Gauff has yet to start her campaign on the Grass court, the withdrawal of Aryna Sabalenka from Wimbledon has given her a head start, as she looks forward to cementing her position in the WTA rankings.

A short while ago, Sabalenka dropped the Wimbledon withdrawal bomb into the tennis circuit due to a persistent injury. Since then, tennis fans and followers have been scrambling around to analyze the implications of this on various fronts. For Sabalenka, it would mean rest until she recovers. For Wimbledon, it could be Sabalenka fans’ waning interest in the grass-court tournament, as they adjust the draw to accommodate a lucky loser. And another aspect of this would be Gauff’s rankings gain from Sabalenka’s absence.

The recent withdrawal certainly increases Gauff’s chances to lift the ultimate grass glory. However, it also means something else. Gauff would be gaining points with her participation, while Sabalenka would be losing some due to her 2023 Grass Court campaign. The Belarusian tennis star, made a semifinal exit last year, thus necessitating her to defend the points she earned, (720). This may not hurt her current ranking, as she is far ahead of Wold no.4 Elena Rybakina. However, Gauff would be cementing her World No.2 position by gaining points from her grass journey.

Moreover, Gauff is already far ahead of Sabalenka when it comes to the points– Sabalenka stands at 7061, while Gauff is at 7943, ~900 points ahead of the World No.3. Though World No.1 is far ahead of Gauff’s reach as Iga Swiatek hovers at the top with 11165 points. Rightly so, as the Pole has been consistent in accumulating wins and Grand Slams in the last few years, with the latest French Open victory at her hands.

However, it’s not just the young American tennis sensation who would be gaining from Sabalenka’s exit. The draw is wide open as strong players withdraw, making it anybody’s court to showcase their strength and own it. But some are set to gain more than others if things go in the right direction for them. Joining Gauff would be the Briton Emma Raducanu and other players.

How would Aryna Sabalenka’s exit change the Wimbledon draw for the WTA?

Sabalenka suffered from a persistent shoulder issue which restricted her from participating in all white on the green grass of London. However, her exit not only paves the way for unseeded players to make their way into the main draw but also for the incumbent top players who are aware of Sabalenka’s strength, and these words of Chanda Rubin prove the intent: “She’s doing really good so, watch out for her.”

As watching out is no longer required, Gauff can be confident to make it to the semifinals on the grass if her form supports her. Her grit helps her stand all the challenges posed by her competitors.

However, there is no escaping the tough competition in tennis. But for Raducanu, it may be a smoother campaign without worrying about another known strong competitor. While no contestant stepping on the green pastures is weak, the strength of the top players is proven and hardened with various challenges. Hence, the withdrawal has left an open field to compete and claim!