Martina Navratilova snubs Coco Gauff as Wimbledon top favourite: Complete list of American legend's top 8 names ft. Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula

Martina Navratilova recently picked her eight favourites on the women's side who can potentially triumph at next month's Wimbledon. The American legend named Aryna Sabalenka as the top favourite for the title, while also sparing a word for the likes of Coco Gauff, Madison Keys, and Iga Swiatek, among other top names.

Sabalenka has enjoyed a great season on the WTA Tour in 2025, winning 42 of her 50 matches and securing three titles. And while the World No. 1 has finished runner-up at the first two Majors, she is still far and away the most in-form female player this year.

Against that background, Martina Navratilova named Aryna Sabalenka as the player who can go all the way at SW19 in her analysis for WTA. The 68-year-old believes that the Belarusian will likely be motivated after her three-set title match defeat to Coco Gauff in Paris earlier this month.

"Looking at her record, it’s hard to think she’s (Sabalenka)onot the favorite this year. She’s a complete player and has a good game for grass. I’m wondering if losing the French Open final will actually help motivate her," Martina Navratilova said.

The 59-time Majors titlist then picked Coco Gauff and Madison Keys as her second and third favourites for the title, respectively. According to her, Keys in particular has the weapons to succeed on grass and will have no pressure on herself after securing her maiden Major triumph in Melbourne earlier this year.

"It’s just about managing her game, managing her body, her emotions. She’s (Gauff) found the happy medium, the equilibrium between being focused and fired up," Martina Navratilova said.

"After winning Australia, there’s a huge weight off her shoulders. Weapons are what win on grass and she's (Keys) got them. I think she’s the third favorite to win the tournament, after Sabalenka and not far behind Gauff," she added.

During her analysis, Jessica Pegula and Jasmine Paolini also warranted a mention from Martina Navratilova due to their respective playing style and results this year.

"I think her weapon is consistency -- and a good volley because she’s played a lot of doubles," Navratilova insisted.

"She [Paolini] won Rome and is still a force to be reckoned with. I definitely see her living up to the seeding," she added.

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Martina Navratilova: "Just the fact that Iga Swiatek hits the ball so well gives her a chance"

Iga Swiatek has yet to go past the QFs of Wimbledon | Image Source: Getty

Iga Swiatek, meanwhile, has endured a quiet season on the WTA Tour in 2025, having failed to reach the final of a singles event. However, Martina Navratilova opined in her analysis for WTA that the five-time Major winner's shotmaking ability makes the latter an outside favourite for Wimbledon.

"Just the fact that she (Swiatek) hits the ball so well gives her a chance. Backhand, solid as a rock," Martina Navratilova said.

Towards the end of her analysis, Navratilova gave her due to former World No. 2 Paula Badosa and 2022 champion Elena Rybakina, both of whom have struggled to record deep showings on the WTA Tour this year.

"It was tough to watch her (Badosa) struggle with the back injury. It’s good to see her relatively healthy again, playing well in Berlin," Navratilova asserted.

"No weaknesses, good athlete. Not afraid to go forward and knock off the volley," she added.

The top 32 seeds for the women's singles competition at Wimbledon were revealed earlier on Wednesday (June 25). Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula, Jasmine Paolini, Zheng Qinwen, Madison Keys, Mirra Andreeva, and Iga Swiatek round out the top eight seeds, meaning any two of these players can't meet each other before the quarterfinals of the grasscourt Major.