'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Match Details
Fixture: McCartney Kessler vs Anna Blinkova
Tournament: BNP Paribas Open 2025
Round: First Round (Round of 128)
Venue: Indian Wells Tennis Garden, California, United States
Category: WTA 1000
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $9,693,540
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN
McCartney Kessler vs Anna Blinkova preview
McCartney Kessler will square off against Anna Blinkova in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open 2025.
Trending
Kessler went out in the second round of the Brisbane International, her first tournament of the season. She was the last woman left standing at the Hobart International, where she beat Elise Mertens in the final to win her second career title. She couldn't sustain this momentum at the Australian Open and was knocked out in the first round.
While Kessler qualified for the Abu Dhabi Open, she lost to compatriot Ashlyn Krueger in the first round. After that, Ons Jabeur sent her packing in the first round of the Qatar Open. She bounced back in style with a win over Amanda Anisimova in the first round of the Dubai Tennis Championships.
The latter had just won the Qatar Open a couple of days before their match. Kessler then scored the biggest win of her career by beating World No. 3 Coco Gauff in the second round. Her run ended at the hands of Karolina Muchova in the next round. She continued her good run of form at last week's ATX Open, where she went down to Jessica Pegula in the final.
Blinkova reached the second round of her first three tournaments this year, including the Australian Open. She tallied back-to-back wins to make the quarterfinals of the Linz Open, where Clara Tauson beat her. She bowed out in the second round of the Transylvania Open a week later and recently made the quarterfinals of the ATX Open.
McCartney Kessler vs Anna Blinkova head-to-head
This will be the first career meeting between them, so the head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.
McCartney Kessler vs Anna Blinkova odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
McCartney Kessler vs Anna Blinkova prediction
Kessler has been on a roll over the past few weeks. After a couple of impressive wins over Anisimova and Gauff in Dubai, she finished as the runner-up to Pegula at the ATX Open. However, whenever she has made the final of a WTA 250 tournament, she has immediately lost in the first round of her next tournament.
It happened when Kessler won her maiden title in Cleveland last year, and then lost in the first round of the US Open. It happened more recently when she crashed out in the first round of the Australian Open after winning the title in Hobart.
Blinkova has a 6-0 record in first-round matches this year, though she's 1-4 against top 50 opponents. Kessler has a 4-3 record in opening-round contests this year. She has momentum on her side yet again, and if she's able to capitalize on it, then she has the potential to one-up the Russian.
Pick: McCartney Kessler to win in three sets.
