Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images

Qinwen Zheng vs. McCartney Kessler Preview, Prediction and Betting Odds for 2025 Queen’s Club Championships Round of 16

Consistent Zheng meets unpredictable Kessler on London grass

Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images

Top seed Qinwen Zheng kicks off her Queen’s Club campaign against American McCartney Kessler in the second round, following a first-round bye. Kessler booked her spot with a straight-sets win over wildcard Francesca Jones, showing solid form on grass.

The 25-year-old American only made her WTA debut last year but already holds two singles titles and recently reached her first main-draw Slam appearance at Roland Garros. Zheng, on the other hand, comes in with five WTA titles, including Olympic gold from Paris 2024, and is fresh off a quarterfinal run at the French Open.

Both players are currently at their career-best rankings, Zheng at No. 5 and Kessler at No. 42, setting up an exciting clash of rising momentum and elite consistency in London. Grass may be the great equalizer, but Zheng enters as the favorite in their first-time meet.

Qinwen Zheng vs. McCartney Kessler Preview

Zheng has found her stride this season with a string of impressive deep runs. After a few early exits, her turning point came at Indian Wells, where she reached the quarterfinals, followed by QFs in Miami and Charleston and a standout semifinal in Rome. There, she stunned world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka before narrowly falling to Coco Gauff in three sets.

She continued her form with a quarterfinal run at Roland Garros, but was upset by Sabalenka. Statistically, Zheng has been superb: 124 aces, 69.7% first-serve points won, 45% return points won, and a sharp 48.8% break point conversion.

Zheng d. Sabalenka 6-4 6-3

Qinwen snaps Aryna’s 15 match win streak in WTA 1000s

She was 0-6 against Aryna, but she showed up with revenge on her mind

Simply brilliant tennis

✅1st Rome SF
✅2nd win over #1
✅11th top 10 win

Nobody beats Queenwen 7 times in a row 👑

🇨🇳♥️ pic.twitter.com/dnm8QfAsrL
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 14, 2025

Kessler, meanwhile, has had a more up-and-down season. She kicked things off with a title in Hobart, defeating Elise Mertens in three sets, and made another final in Austin before falling to Jessica Pegula.

Between those highs came a series of early exits, broken up only by a quarterfinal in Saint-Malo. While consistency has eluded her, the 25-year-old American still boasts solid numbers: 45 aces, a 61.3% first-serve win rate, 43.8% return points won, and a 45.2% break point conversion.

Simply Unstoppable 🛑

McCartney Kessler upsets the World No. 3 in straight sets after a commanding performance 6-4, 7-5!#DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/5Uglitdsuf
— wta (@WTA) February 18, 2025

Qinwen Zheng vs. McCartney Kessler Head-to-Head Record

Qinwen Zheng and McCartney Kessler do not have a head-to-head yet.

Qinwen Zheng vs. McCartney Kessler Comparison

Qinwen Zheng	Category	McCartney Kessler
5	Ranking	42
242-103	Career W-L	153-84
17-9	YTD W-L	21-14
5	Career Titles	2
0	Grand Slams	0
0	YTD Titles	1

Qinwen Zheng vs. McCartney Kessler Prediction

Zheng enters this match as the more proven and consistent player, backed by deep runs at top-tier events and a strong statistical season. Kessler has shown flashes of brilliance, but her inconsistency may be costly against a top-5 opponent. If Zheng brings her usual rhythm and aggression, she should have the edge.

Prediction: Qinwen Zheng in straight sets

Zheng Qinwen stays strong to move onto her first Roland Garros quarterfinal 💪#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/yUoZMz1NXz
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) June 1, 2025

Qinwen Zheng vs. McCartney Kessler Queen’s Club Championships 2025 Betting Odds

With Zheng listed at 1/4 and Kessler at 29/10, the odds reflect Zheng’s higher record and current form. Her superior service stats and recent results against top players give her a clear edge.

Here are the betting odds according to BetMGM:

Qinwen Zheng: 1/4

McCartney Kessler: 29/10

Also Read: WTA HSBC Championships in Queen’s Club 2025: Day-2 Results Ft. Emma Raducanu, Katie Boulter and Diana Shnaider

McKartney Kessler

Qinwen Zheng

Queen’s Club Championships 2025

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.