American McCartney Kessler claimed her first career WTA Tour title in a stunning upset victory over No. 1 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil at the Tennis in the Land tournament in Cleveland. Kessler, 25, showcased her resilience by bouncing back from a tough first set to secure a 1-6, 6-1, 7-5 triumph in the final.
Throughout the tournament, Kessler embraced her underdog status and delivered impressive performances, eliminating formidable opponents such as No. 4 seed Xinyu Wang of China and No. 5 seed Anastasia Potapova of Russia before facing off against Haddad Maia in the final.
In the championship match, Kessler initially struggled to find her rhythm, dropping the first set decisively. However, she quickly turned the tide in the second set, winning six consecutive games after an early deficit. Despite trailing 3-1 in the third set, Kessler displayed remarkable determination and mounted a comeback to clinch the victory over Haddad Maia, who was ranked No. 23 in the world at the time.
During the intense final showdown, Kessler's strong first-serve performance proved to be a key factor in her success, as she won 32 of 46 first-serve points. Additionally, she matched Haddad Maia in both aces and double faults, recording three aces and four double faults in the thrilling three-set encounter.
