Alexandrova Faces Rising Star Kessler in Ningbo Open Quarterfinal Battle
Fourth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova is set to face unseeded McCartney Kessler in the quarterfinals of the Ningbo Open 2025. Alexandrova, one of the top four seeds, received a first-round bye and then eased past wild card Yue Yuan in straight sets. Kessler, meanwhile, has looked in fine form, outlasting Sofia Kenin and eighth seed Liudmila Samsonova without dropping a set.
Ekaterina Alexandrova is the new world #10.
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 14, 2025
Officially a top 10 player for the first time in her career.
She’s always had the power to step on the court & out-hit anyone on the other side of the net, but was lacking the patience & consistency.
This season, she’s been… pic.twitter.com/GFKhrSZTBK
Alexandrova is enjoying a strong season, climbing to a career-high world No. 10. She lifted her fifth career singles title in Linz, upsetting Dayana Yastremska in three gritty sets. She also made finals in Monterrey and Seoul, falling to Diana Shnaider and Iga Swiatek, respectively. Wrist issues forced her to withdraw from Abu Dhabi and Rome, disrupting her rhythm, but she still reached career-best fourth rounds at Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open. Her deep runs include semifinals in Doha, Charleston, and Stuttgart, with quarterfinals in Libema, Bad Homburg, and Hamburg. Across 66 matches this season, she has fired 296 aces, won 69.4% of first-serve points, and converted 46.7% of break points.
Quarterfinal bound 👊
— wta (@WTA) October 16, 2025
McCartney Kessler defeats Samsonova in straight sets in Ningbo.#NingboOpen pic.twitter.com/bWX9m6jgiv
Kessler, meanwhile, has established herself as a force on the WTA. The American is currently ranked No. 30, having reached a career-high No. 33 in June. She already has two titles this season in Hobart and Nottingham, defeating Elise Mertens and Dayana Yastremska along the way. Other highlights include a finals appearance in Austin and a quarterfinal in Saint-Malo. Across 49 matches, Kessler has fired 89 aces, won 62.5% of first-serve points, and converted 45.3% of her break points.
Ekaterina Alexandrova and McCartney Kessler do not have a head-to-head yet.
| Ekaterina Alexandrova | Category | McCartney Kessler |
| 10 | Current Ranking | 33 |
| 462-285 | Career W-L | 166-92 |
| 43-22 | YTD W-L | 34-22 |
| 5 | Career Titles | 3 |
| 0 | Grand Slams | 0 |
| 1 | YTD Titles | 2 |
Kessler’s momentum and aggressive baseline game could trouble Alexandrova, but the Russian’s proven resilience and deep-run experience should see her advance in straight sets.
Winning the early points 👊
— wta (@WTA) October 16, 2025
Ekaterina Alexandrova goes on to take the opening set 6-3 against Yuan.#NingboOpen pic.twitter.com/qug1WrjWD2
Prediction: Ekaterina Alexandrova in straight sets
Ekaterina Alexandrova (-230) enters as the clear favorite, relying on experience and consistent serving, while McCartney Kessler (+184) will need to force early breaks to stay competitive.
Here are the betting odds according to FanDuel:
Ekaterina Alexandrova: -230
McCartney Kessler: +184
Here are the odds for total games as well as total sets for both players (sourced via FanDuel):
Total Sets Under 2.5: -200
Total Sets Over 2.5: +140
Total Games Under 21.5: -134
Total Games Over 21.5: -105
Set 1 Winner Alexandrova: -182
Set 1 Winner Kessler: +136
(According to FanDuel: FanDuel offers exclusive promo codes, bonus deals and accurate odds for users upon signing up. Use FanDuel to ace your betting game in all sports!)
Mandatory Image Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images
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mma I’m an academic turned sports writer from Raipur, India, specializing in the NFL, MMA, and tennis at The Playoffs. I previously wrote for Sportskeeda and hold a B.A. and M.A. in History. My journey into sports media began far from the field, rooted in the arts and sciences. Funny enough, I didn’t grow up a sports fan; I used to see it all as just noise. But a fateful writing job introduced me to the world of sports, and what began as a gig quickly became a passion. I understood those voices aren’t noise; they’re emotions of true sports fans, and now I am one of them, writing with the same energy I once questioned.
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