Two in-form American tennis stars are set to cross each other’s path in the first round of the 2025 Dubai Tennis Championships. Florida’s Amanda Anisimova will face Georgia’s McCartney Kessler in this epic all-American clash! Both these players have won one title each already this season. Who’ll take the first step forward towards clinching their second title in 2025? Time will tell! Amanda Anisimova’s best record in this tournament has been reaching the second round twice (2021 & 2023), while this will be McCartney Kessler’s debut appearance in Dubai. Can the Georgian beat Anisimova who clinched the biggest title of her career, only a couple of days ago?
Amanda Anisimova vs McCartney Kessler: Preview
Amanda Anisimova started her season at the ASB Classic, but she made an early exit after losing her first match to her compatriot Alycia Parks. However, she reached the QF at the Hobart International! The 23-year-old, however, couldn’t make her presence felt at the 2025 AO. Although she won her first-round match, Emma Raducanu sent her packing, beating her by 6-3,7-5 in the second round. Things, however, changed drastically in Doha where looked like a completely different player altogether! The American youngster defeated Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko in the final by 6-4,6-3.
With this title triumph, Anisimova has now made it to the top 20 in the world rankings. She leapfrogged from number 41 to number 18 after her WTA 1000-level triumph! What did Amanda Anisimova say after clinching her first title since 2022? “There has been a lot of hard work and many tears. I have remained calm throughout the week and have trusted myself,” said the 23-year-old American. She also revealed how pleased she was to navigate through the difficult phases in her life to reach this stage.
Aug 10, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Amanda Anisimova (USA) goes to serve a ball to Aryna Sabalenka (not pictured) during quarter finals at Sobeys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
On the other hand, her opponent, McCartney Kessler also had a great start to her season in 2025. Although she couldn’t go beyond R32 in the Brisbane International, Kessler managed to clinch a title at the Hobart International. She defeated Belgium’s Elise Mertens in the final in a three-set thriller. However, after that title triumph, she made three early exits in her next three tournaments (AO, Abu Dhabi Open, and Qatar Open). Kessler will be entering this match following her 2-6,0-6 defeat to Ons Jabeur in the R64 of the Qatar Open.
Anisimova vs Kessler: Head-to-Head
Amanda Anisimova has never played against her compatriot McCartney Kessler in her career before. This will be their first meeting and hence, their H2H record currently stands at 0-0. Can Amanda Anisimova keep her winning run intact or will fatigue play a crucial role in deciding the winner in this all-American clash?
Prediction: Anisimova to win in three sets
Amanda Anisimova played her final match at the Qatar Open on February 15, and within a couple of days, she’s now going to step onto the courts yet again to kickstart her campaign in Dubai. However, it’ll be interesting to see how quickly she adapts both physically and mentally after her heroics in Doha. If she has fully recovered physically, Anisimova may seal the deal pretty quickly in this match, considering the form she has been in the last few days. However, playing two vital matches back-to-back in the Middle East conditions is never easy! So, we expect this match to go a little deeper.
Why are we keeping Amanda Anisimova ahead in this epic duel? Well, apart from the current form, even if we look at the numbers from this season, Anisimova (18) currently has a win-loss record of 9-3, whereas, Kessler (53) has managed to put up a record of 6-4 as of now. So, even here, the Floridan has a slight edge!
Talking about their playing styles, Kessler is known for her steady baseline game and attacking mindset. She has a big serve and a strong two-handed backhand in her armory. Her powerful serve and consistent baseline play are truly quite exceptional. Kessler also loves dominating her opponents with strategic shot placements and swift footwork.
On the other side, Amanda Anisimova is an aggressive baseliner. She can hit powerful groundstrokes from both wings and her two-handed backhand shot is one of her most lethal weapons. She often tends to hit winners with her backhand-down-the-line shots. Apart from that, Anisimova’s quick footwork and her incredible ability to secure points by playing longer rallies make her a really tough opponent to beat on any given day. Considering all these factors and the current form of the two players, we feel Anisimova will have the last laugh in this encounter!
The post WTA Dubai: Amanda Anisimova vs McCartney Kessler; Preview, Head-to-Head, and Prediction appeared first on EssentiallySports.
