Wimbledon 2024: Maria Sakkari vs Mccartney Kessler preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds, and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (9) Maria Sakkari vs Mccartney Kessler
Date: Monday, July 1, 2024
Tournament: Wimbledon 2024
Round: First Round (Round of 128)
Venue: All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, England, United Kingdom
Category: Grand Slam
Surface: Grass
Prize Money: £50,000,000
Live Telecast: USA - ESPN & Tennis Channel | UK - BBC | Canada - TSN, RDS, & ESPN International | India - Star Network
Maria Sakkari vs Mccartney Kessler preview
Ninth seed Maria Sakkari is set to open her 2024 Wimbledon Championships campaign against Mccartney Kessler in the opening round.
Sakkari kicked off her grasscourt swing at the ecotrans Ladies Open in Berlin. Up against two-time Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka in the opener, Sakkari went down 6-4, 6-2. She took part in the Bad Homburg Open next as the top seed. She looked in prime position to sweep through her opener against home favorite Jule Niemeier but was instead sent packing in three sets by the latter 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4).
Kessler, on the contrary, played her first match on the grass this season in s'Hertogenbosch. Seeded second in the qualifiers, she opened her campaign with an emphatic 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 win over Anouk Koevermans in the opening round. Eighth seed Dalma Galfi got the better of her in the second round, sealing the win in straight sets 6-3, 7-6 (7). She took part in the ITF Great Britain 08A next, losing in her opener to Rebecca Marino despite going up in the first set.
Maria Sakkari vs Mccartney Kessler head-to-head
Maria Sakkari and Mccartney Kessler have yet to face professional competition, so their head-to-head stands at 0-0.
Maria Sakkari vs Mccartney Kessler odds
(Odds sourced from BetMGM)
Maria Sakkari vs Mccartney Kessler predictions
Maria Sakkari heads into her opening round clash against the American Mccartney Kessler as the favorite to go through given her greater experience on the WTA tour. While she may have had a subpar season by her lofty standards, everything could change on the grass. She's worked hard on her grasscourt game over the past couple of years and it could pay dividends this year.
Kessler, on the contrary, hasn't featured much on the WTA tour this season and is in line to play just her third main draw game. She's lost her previous two matches in Auckland and Charleston. She has, however, tasted success in the WTA125 category and ITF circuit this season, picking up the title at the Puerto Vallarta Open and reaching the quarterfinal at the LTP Charleston Pro Tennis.
Overcoming Sakkari in the opener at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships might prove to be a nearly impossible task for the World No. 118-ranked American. She will not only have to be at her best on the serve but also keep points short and approach the net every once in a while if she is to have a chance of progressing through. It could in all likelihood be a one-sided contest in favor of the Greek.
Pick: Sakkari in straight sets.