Liudmila Samsonova vs. McCartney Kessler Preview, Prediction, and Betting Odds for WTA Ningbo Open 2025 Round of 16

Samsonova’s consistency vs. breakthrough Kessler in a closely contested matchup at Ningbo.

Eighth seed Liudmila Samsonova is set to face unseeded McCartney Kessler in the second round of the Ningbo Open 2025. Samsonova advanced past qualifier Hanyu Guo, while Kessler defeated Sofia Kenin in straight sets to secure her spot. Samsonova has shown solid consistency this season, though with occasional hiccups. Her standout performance came in Strasbourg, where she reached the final before falling to Elena Rybakina in three sets.

She also made semifinals at Indian Wells, Wimbledon, Tennis in the Land, and earlier in Adelaide and Berlin, retiring in Adelaide due to a foot injury. Across 52 matches this year, Samsonova has hit 204 aces, won 69.5% of first-serve points, and converted 44.4% of break points.

Straight sets 💪@LiudaSamsonova beats Guo 6-2, 6-4 and will play Kessler in the Round of 16.#NingboOpen pic.twitter.com/ZVNrwNp0wL
— wta (@WTA) October 14, 2025

Kessler, meanwhile, has been an emerging force on tour. Already this season she has lifted two titles in Hobart and Nottingham, upsetting Elise Mertens and Dayana Yastremska along the way. She achieved a career-high ranking of world No. 33 in June and currently sits at No. 30. Her season highlights also include a finals run in Austin (lost to Jessica Pegula), a quarterfinal in Saint-Malo, and a fourth-round exit in Beijing at the hands of Eva Lys.

However, in many other events, she has exited in the third round or earlier. In 49 matches this season, Kessler has hit 89 aces, won 62.5% of first-serve points, 43.8% of return points, and converted 45.3% of break points.

Terrific tennis 🎾

McCartney Kessler | #NingboOpen pic.twitter.com/mPJXnTY2dT
— wta (@WTA) October 13, 2025

Liudmila Samsonova vs. McCartney Kessler Head-to-Head Record

Liudmila Samsonova and McCartney Kessler do not have a head-to-head yet.

Liudmila Samsonova vs. McCartney Kessler Comparison

Liudmila Samsonova	Category	McCartney Kessler
18	Current Ranking	33
334-217	Career W-L	166-92
29-22	YTD W-L	34-22
5	Career Titles	3
0	Grand Slams	0
0	YTD Titles	2

Liudmila Samsonova vs. McCartney Kessler Prediction

Samsonova’s proven consistency and strong results against top-tier competition give her an advantage, but Kessler’s momentum, two titles this season, and aggressive baseline game could challenge the Russian. Still, the Russian has the edge on paper.

Liudmila Samsonova hits a milestone in New York 🗽 pic.twitter.com/9QFb7uUumC
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 25, 2025

Prediction: Liudmila Samsonova in straight sets

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Liudmila Samsonova vs. McCartney Kessler Ningbo Open 2025 Betting Odds

Liudmila Samsonova is a narrow favorite at -120, with McCartney Kessler at -102. The betting lines reflect how evenly matched the two players are on paper. Samsonova’s experience and consistency give her a slight edge, but Kessler’s recent form and ability to upset higher-ranked opponents make this a tight contest that could go either way.

Here are the betting odds according to FanDuel:

Liudmila Samsonova: -120

McCartney Kessler: -102

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: -118

Total Games Over 21.5: -118

Set 1 Winner Samsonova: -120

Set 1 Winner Kessler: -110

(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: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Rudra Dubey

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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.