Wimbledon 2026 is nearly upon us and this ace wowed fans when she became the competition’s “most beautiful debutant” and put on a great match
Tennis star and model Carson Branstine had fans weak at the knees on debut during last year’s Wimbledon. But the Canadian is sidelined for the championships this time around.
Action from SW19 is just around the corner, with qualifying wrapped up and the main draw confirmed. But Branstine is a notable absentee, given the splash she made on her first appearance 12 months ago.
The American-born player was a prolific junior and college athlete before turning professional in 2024. Last year was a breakout campaign, and she beat former US Open champion and childhood friend Bianca Andreescu in qualifying on her way to making a first Grand Slam main draw.
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Dubbed Wimbledon’s ‘most beautiful debutant’ at the time, Branstine found herself drawn against World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. She lost the opening set 6-1 in their first round match on Court No. 1, but rallied in the second, only losing 7-5 as she was dumped out.
This year, an injury sustained at the Australian Open has prevented the 25-year-old from competing at Wimbledon. But her path there in 2025 was not an easy one, and the part-time model made a telling admission about the finances behind being a lower-ranked WTA player.
Branstine’s modelling career, which has seen her work with multiple fashion, fitness and skincare brands and sign with an agency, has so far helped finance her career. At one point, after transitioning from the college circuit to the pros, she even worked as a delivery driver for Uber Eats to raise funds.
She told Telegraf.rs: “When you play ITF tournaments and finance your own life as a young athlete, everything is very expensive. I live in Southern California, and just filling up the tank was seriously draining my bill.
“I remember one morning, a couple of weeks before I played my first WTA final in Cancun, I looked at my account balance and only had $26 (£19). I thought about how I’m going to finance myself for the tournament now.
“I cried. I called my friends, but I wasn’t allowed to call my parents. If they found out, they would be very angry. I just said to myself, ‘Don’t think too much. Do it.’ And so after training, I drove around Los Angeles and delivered dinners to people.”
After qualifying for Wimbledon in 2025, she pocketed around £66,000, but Branstine continues to model, citing that she enjoys her side hustle. She added: “I love being in front of the camera during a shoot.
“It’s fun, I love fashion. It’s been one of the reasons I’ve been able to pay for some of my trips. I didn’t want to ask my parents for anything. I wanted everything to come from me and from my tennis.
“I wasn’t signed by these agencies because of my tennis, it was for my look. Modelling and tennis are weirdly similar, you are an object a lot, and people sometimes forget you’re a person too.”