World number one Aryna Sabalenka will be up against the 48th-ranked McCartney Kessler in the second round of the 2025 WTA Indian Wells Open which will be played on Saturday, March 8. Get all the Aryna Sabalenka v McCartney Kessler predictions, betting tips and odds for this encounter in the section below.
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Aryna Sabalenka v McCartney Kessler Head to Head
Sabalenka and Kessler have never faced off in a competitive match before this.
Sabalenka Needs to Get Back to Best after Australian Open Reverse
Aryna Sabalenka was in line to make it three Australian Open titles in a row when she took to court for her final against Madison Keys. And while she was in the match throughout, Keys stole the encounter – and the trophy – from her grasp in the end.
A visibly frustrated Sabalenka did not seem to have enjoyed the reverse too much at that point but it looks like that defeat might have pegged her back a little in other ways too.
The world number one featured in Doha and Dubai after that, losing her opener at the former to Ekaterina Alexandrova and then going down after one win at the latter to Clara Tauson.
Now Alexandrova and Tauson aren’t pushovers and on their day they have toppled some of the best in the world but for Sabalenka to lose two out of three matches in successive weeks might not have gone down too well for her.
She will hope to get back to her winning ways here but the slightly slower nature of these surfaces might not be to Sabalenka’s liking either.
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Kessler Continues Superb Run with Win over Blinkova
McCartney Kessler was 48th in the world before the start of this tournament and a win here in the first round has her a rank higher on the live rankings. She has basically levelled her career-best ranking which had also come earlier this year.
Her form has been something to watch and the manner in which Kessler has gone about her business all year, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see her break into the top 40 soon.
The American did not waste any time in her first round victory, defeating Anna Blinkova 6-1, 6-2 to clinch her first ever career main draw victory at the Indian Wells Open.
This follows a title win at the Hobart International and a finals appearance at the Austin Open last week for Kessler.
Can she now take that step up and stun the world number one?
Sabalenka v Kessler Predictions
Sabalenka might have suffered a couple of reverses recently but she isn’t one of those who can steamrolled that easily on a regular basis. Expecting her to come back with a bang.
Sabalenka v Kessler Tips
- Sabalenka to win: 1/3
- Over 19.5 games in the match: 5/6
