Tennis star Aryna Sabalenka held off McCartney Kessler to reach the Wimbledon 2026 third round, winning 6-1, 7-6(9). The No. 1 seed breezed through the first set but watched Kessler completely change the match in the second.
The world No. 57 shifted her tactics with her comeback run. She attacked the net with precision, winning 11 of 15 points there and building a 5-2 lead.
But Sabalenka leaned on her power to fight back. She saved two set points on Kessler's serve at 5-3 and forced a tiebreaker.
Aryna Sabalenka Survives Kessler "Test" to Extend Wimbledon Run
The tiebreaker stayed tight from start to finish. Kessler earned two more set points, yet Sabalenka answered each time. On her third match point, she fired an off-forehand winner to seal the win and advance in the London tournament.
"She really stepped in, she played super aggressive. It felt like whatever decisions she would make, it would work for her," Sabalenka said. "She really tested me today, and I'm really happy to pass the test."
The win extended her Open-Era record to 21 consecutive Grand Slam tiebreaker wins. Up next, she faces former Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko, who beat Antonia Ruzic 6-2, 6-0 in her second-round match.
