Andrea Petkovic makes bold prediction over this year’s Wimbledon champion

Andrea Petkovic picks Wimbledon 2026 winner – and it’s not Iga Swiatek

While the grass-court season is still some way off, several players will be hoping to make an impact on the surface this year.

The WTA Tour calendar kicks off with a ten-event run on clay, starting in Charleston and Bogota.

That’s followed by a seven-tournament stretch on grass, finishing up with Wimbledon in mid-July.

Iga Swiatek will return to defend her title at the iconic Grand Slam, but former player Andrea Petkovic thinks someone else might lift the trophy this time around.

Andrea Petkovic Picks Jessica Pegula for Wimbledon Title

Speaking on The Big T Podcast, Petkovic said: “My bold prediction is that Jess Pegula wins Wimbledon.

“I think Wimbledon in the past has always had some surprising winners.

“I don’t think Jess would necessarily be that surprising but I remember when she was up 4-1 in the third on [Marketa] Vondrousova a couple of years ago, when she ended up winning.

“I don’t remember it exactly, but she was up. So this is my bold prediction – Jess Pegula wins Wimbledon.”

Pegula’s history at the All England Club isn’t particularly strong. She’s never made it past the quarterfinals and was knocked out in the first round last year, so this would be quite a turnaround.

Looking Back at Jessica Pegula’s Wimbledon History

Pegula’s attention is firmly on the Charleston Open right now, but once the grass-court season arrives, she’ll no doubt be looking to make an impact, especially at Wimbledon.

Despite her status as a top-five player, her results on grass haven’t always matched expectations. Pegula has yet to go past the quarterfinal stage at Wimbledon or Roland-Garros, whereas she’s reached a final at the US Open and made the last four in Australia.

So far this year, Pegula has put together a strong run of form. She came into Charleston with a 19-4 record and already had a WTA 1000 title from Dubai under her belt.

Interestingly, her next opponent in Charleston is Elisabetta Cocciaretto – the same player who knocked her out in the first round at Wimbledon last year.

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