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However, her path to SW19 wasn’t easy as she had to battle trolls and her own self-doubt.
Branstine, 24, who also models for Wilhemina, admitted he almost quit the sport he loves this year.
She called modeling her “Little Little Side Hustle” and it helped fund her tennis career, despite trolls trying to bring her down with mean comments.
Branstine takes the insults in her stride, suggesting they only confirm what she already knows.
She told Sunsport: “People like to comment their opinions on things when they don’t really know anything, but that doesn’t bother me.
“The two most common quotes, that the hate comments, weren’t really confirming exactly why I’m a signed model, so it’s like, thanks guys, you’re not saying anything I don’t know.
“Calling me an alien. I’ve seen comments, been DM’d, and just things in different news articles or on Twitter, Instagram, or whatever, saying, ‘Oh, your eyes look far away.’ ‘You’re an alien.’
“I’m like, that’s literally the point. Thank you. I call myself an alien all the time. All my friends are like, ‘Oh, who’s your celebrity look-alike?’”
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“I’m like, nobody. I’m an alien. I say that all the time. So it’s like, OK, confirmation or people are like, ‘Oh, you look like a man or you look like a boy and have masculine features.’
“I’m like, that’s the point too. That’s celebrated in the modeling industry.
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“So I’m like, thank you for confirming that Wilhelmina made a great decision to sign me because that’s amazing. I totally agree.”
Branstine moved up to World No. 175 after reaching the All England Club, while his modeling work has also taken off in recent years.
She signed with two agencies – Wilhelmina and The Clothing – and worked for brands such as Zara and Lululemon.
Branstine began modeling from a young age, with her breakout role coming around the age of seven when she walked a runway for the luxury department store Nordstrom.
Her modeling work took a backseat in her teens and didn’t take off again until college, with Branstine also working as a delivery driver to pay the bills as modeling became more of a hobby.
She said: “I would say I’m 90 percent a tennis player and then 10 percent a model, but you have to pick your battles.
“I wouldn’t call modeling a non-stressful thing to do as a hobby, but I enjoy it. I find I always need something a little stressful going on. I just built it like that.”
“To be a top-level tennis player or top-level player, literally anything, you have to be a little crazy. So it’s good for me.”
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Branstine won three matches at Roehampton to qualify and has since earned the tag of “Wimbledon’s best-looking debutant.”
She beat her friend and compatriot, 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu, in the final round of qualifying in what was an emotional affair for Branstine.
But nothing beat the moment of relief she felt when she won her first match on the court, having lost the first five games against Sabalenka .
Branstine told Sunsport: “When I got it, it was just relief.
“I was like, oh, thank God. And I wanted everyone to feel that way with me.
“I really enjoy connecting with the crowd. So I’m glad it’s cheering everyone up. And it was a sweet moment.”
Branstine is a big admirer of Sabalenka and feels she shares similar characteristics with the world number 1, from reaching big to her fiery personality on the court, as well as her openness.
The match ended 6-1 7-5 with Sabalenka, with the Belarusian going through to the semifinal where she lost to Amanda Anisimova.
But she gave Branstine a moment he will never forget after sealing the starting point.
Branstine continued: “On the net, it wasn’t much, but she just said ‘you’re so beautiful’.
“I couldn’t believe it. And I was like, you too. And then we kind of laughed. That was our little exchange.
“But it was really cool. I like her as a person. She’s a great girl, an amazing player.
“I feel like I could be her friend. Maybe I will be eventually.”
