Aryna Sabalenka vs McCartney Kessler prediction, betting tips & odds, head-to-head, preview: Indian Wells Open 2025

Sabalenka’s redemption or Kessler’s breakthrough? Indian Wells is set for a showdown.

Under the bright California sun, Aryna Sabalenka and McCartney Kessler step onto the court, each with something to prove. Sabalenka, a fierce competitor with a history of dominance, is looking to shake off recent setbacks and remind the world why she’s one of the best.

On the other side, McCartney Kessler arrives with nothing to lose and everything to gain, riding the high of a breakout season that has already turned heads. It’s a classic clash of power and momentum, experience and hunger. Will Sabalenka’s firepower overwhelm, or can Kessler’s fearless run continue? One thing’s for sure—this won’t be just another match.

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Match details

• Tournament: Indian Wells Open 2025
• Round: Second Round (Round of 64)
• Date: March 9 (Sunday)
• Time: 7:30 AM IST
• Venue: Indian Wells Tennis Garden, California, US
• Surface: Hard Court (outdoor)

Preview

In the desert oasis of Indian Wells, two tennis destinies prepare to collide—a top-seeded powerhouse seeking redemption and a rising challenger riding momentum’s wave. Aryna Sabalenka, fresh from her Australian summer campaign of glory and heartbreak, emerges from her first-round sanctuary to face McCartney Kessler, whose racquet has recently authored stories of unexpected triumph.

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The Belarusian’s season story has been wobbly – Brisbane’s championship joy followed by final-round agony in Melbourne against Keys, then faltering on the Middle Eastern sands against the ambush of Tauson. Meanwhile, Kessler’s tale grows more compelling with each chapter—Hobart’s trophy claimed through four seeded conquests, Austin’s runner-up finish, and now Indian Wells’ opening salvo: a clinical 6-1, 6-2 dismantling of Blinkova, where six service breaks announced her arrival with thunderous clarity.

Form

• Aryna Sabalenka: L-W-L-L-W
• McCartney Kessler: W-L-W-W-W

Head-to-head record

• Matches: 0
• Aryna Sabalenka: 0
• McCartney Kessler: 0

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Stats

Aryna Sabalenka

• Sabalenka has reached the third, second, and final rounds in her last three tournaments.
• Sabalenka has won 7 out of her last 10 matches.
• Sabalenka has saved 50% of breakpoints against her and converted 39% of breakpoint opportunities.
• Sabalenka has won 127 out of 227 career-deciding sets.
• After winning the first set, Sabalenka won 368 out of 415 matches.

McCartney Kessler

• Kessler has reached the final, third, and first rounds in her last three tournaments.
• Kessler has won 7 out of her last 10 matches.
• Kessler has saved 48% of breakpoints and converted 41% of breakpoint opportunities.
• Kessler has won 50 out of 71 career deciding sets.
• After winning the first set, Kessler had 110 wins out of 119 matches.

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Betting tips and odds

Moneyline: Sablenka -450, Kessler +300Spread: Sablenka -6.5 , Kessler +6.5Total sets: Over 2.5 (+160), Under 2.5 (-225)

Prediction

Under the California sun, two tennis tales converge on March 9 as World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka seeks redemption on Indian Wells’ newly quickened courts. The Belarusian’s season—a tapestry of triumph in Brisbane and heartbreak in Melbourne—now faces its next challenge in McCartney Kessler, whose racquet has recently authored surprising victories.

Also Read: Top 10 players who have withdrawn from Indian Wells Open 2025

The American arrives buoyed by her Hobart championship and ATX Open final appearance, her devastating 6-1, 6-2 dismantling of Blinkova announcing her as no mere sacrifice to Sabalenka’s altar. Yet the desert’s faster bounce may prove the perfect canvas for the top seed’s aggressive artistry, though her recent Middle Eastern stumbles suggest this second-round battle will be anything but routine.

Prediction: Sabalenka will win in three sets.

Where and how to watch the live streaming and TV broadcast of the second-round match between Aryna Sabalenka and McCartney Kessler at the Indian Wells Open 2025?

SonyLiv and the Sony Network offer detailed coverage of the Indian Wells Open 2025 in the Indian subcontinent. Sky UK and the Tennis Channel provide live streaming of the event in the United Kingdom and the United States.

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