Cleveland Open 2024: McCartney Kessler vs Arantxa Rus preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds & pick | Tennis in the Land
Match Details
Fixture: McCartney Kessler vs Arantxa Rus
Date: Thursday, August 22, 2024
Tournament: Tennis in the Land
Round: Quarterfinals
Venue: Jacobs Pavilion, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Category: WTA 250
Surface: Hard
Prize Money: $267,082
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video | Canada - TSN+
McCartney Kessler vs Arantxa Rus preview
Local wildcard McCartney Kessler will face Dutch veteran Arantxa Rus in a highly anticipated quarterfinal clash at Tennis in the Land 2024 on Thursday, August 22. The winner of the match will face either fifth seed Anastasia Potapova or Romanian qualifier Ana Bogdan in the semifinals of the WTA 250 tournament.
Kessler has won just three out of nine main-draw matches so far on the WTA Tour, primarily competing in ITF and WTA 125 events. The American reached the second round of the Australian Open, and also qualified for the main draw of Wimbledon before losing to Maria Sakkari.
Kessler began her Tennis in the Land campaign with a tough 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 victory over compatriot Katrina Scott. She then caused an upset in the subsequent round against fourth seed Wang Xinyu, coming back from a set down to seal an emphatic 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory.
Rus has won 16 out of 36 WTA Tour matches so far in 2024, with her best performance being reaching the quarterfinals of the Hobart International and the Transylvania Open and now, the Tennis in the Land.The Dutchwoman competed in each of the Grand Slams, exiting in the second round in each of them.
In Cleveland, Rus started with a routine 6-3, 7-6 (4) win over Italy's Lucia Bronzetti to set up a second-round clash against seventh seed Viktoriya Tomova. She broke her opponent's serve a total of five times en route to a 6-3, 6-3 win.
McCartney Kessler vs Arantxa Rus head-to-head
McCartney Kessler and Arantxa Rus have not played each other on the WTA tour, so their head-to-head stands at 0-0.
McCartney Kessler vs Arantxa Rus odds
(Odds sourced from BetMGM)
McCartney Kessler vs Arantxa Rus prediction
McCartney Kessler has gone the distance in both of her matches so far in Cleveland, displaying great resolve to come out on top each time. Although her serve has been average, she has been particularly impressive on return, converting more than 50% of break-point opportunities throughout the tournament.
In contrast, Rus has breezed through her opening two matches and appears to be a formidable force moving forward. She has been dominant from the baseline and has made the most of her opportunities at the net. However, she could pose an even greater threat if she improves her serve consistency.
Given her experience and current form, Rus is likely to advance past her lower-ranked opponent. Nonetheless, Kessler is riding a wave of momentum and could potentially cause an upset with the support of the crowd. Ultimately, the winner will likely be determined by who can win the longer rallies and make early inroads on their opponent's serve.
Pick: Rus in three sets.