Image source: Instagram/@mccartneyk_
American tennis player McCartney Kessler achieved a career milestone on Wednesday. She upset No. 4 seed Xinyu Wang from China in a thrilling three-set match at the Tennis in the Land tournament in Cleveland.
McCartney Kessler rallied from a set down to win 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, securing her first-ever victory over a top-50 opponent.
McCartney Kessler’s determination shined through after Wang took an early 2-0 lead in the second set. But McCartney Kessler fought back, winning four consecutive games in the third set to close out the match. Despite her loss, Wang outperformed McCartney Kessler in some areas, serving more aces (5-4) and committing fewer double faults (4-3).
The day also saw other surprises. The Netherlands’ Arantxa Rus defeated seventh seed Viktoriya Tomova of Bulgaria in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. France’s Clara Burel also made waves, beating eighth-seeded American Sophia Kenin, 6-4, 6-3.
Top players, however, held their ground. No. 1 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil, No. 3 seed Katerina Siniakova from the Czech Republic, No. 5 seed Anastasia Potapova of Russia, and No. 6 seed Peyton Stearns of the United States all secured wins, along with Romania’s Ana Bogdan.
Abierto GNP Seguros in Monterrey, Mexico
Over in Monterrey, Mexico, the Abierto GNP Seguros tournament witnessed second-seeded American Emma Navarro overcoming a tough challenge from Colombia’s Camila Osorio. Navarro fought back after losing the first set, ultimately winning 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (2) in a nail-biting finish. The third set was a rollercoaster, featuring four consecutive service breaks. Navarro, after missing two match points at 4-5, held her nerve to win the tiebreaker.
China’s No. 7 seed Yue Yuan had a more straightforward victory, defeating Croatia’s Petra Martic 6-4, 6-1. Although Martic served more aces, Yuan’s efficiency on break points made the difference.
Other straight-set winners included third-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia, fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, and sixth-seeded Linda Noskova from the Czech Republic. Poland’s Magdalena Frech, the ninth seed, showed resilience by coming from behind to defeat Israel’s Lina Glushko 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-1. New Zealand’s Lulu Sun also made headlines by saving a match point and eventually winning 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (2) against Argentina’s Maria Lourdes Carle.
This week’s matches delivered thrilling upsets and solid performances, setting the stage for more exciting tennis ahead.
