Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the WTA 500 match.
Daria Kasatkina arrives at the tournament in Tokyo in high spirits, having just clinched the title at the Ningbo event, also classified as a WTA 500. The Russian has never faced the American before, and it will be intriguing to see how Kessler measures up against Kasatkina.
McCartney Kessler
Just a year ago, Kessler was largely competing in ITF events, but in 2024 she started appearing more frequently in WTA tournaments. It’s challenging for her to break into Masters and Grand Slam events, but she’s made some progress. In August, McCartney secured a victory on home soil in Cleveland at a WTA 250 event, defeating the 23rd-ranked player Beatriz Haddad Maia in the final (1:6, 6:1, 7:5).
Daria Kasatkina
For the Russian, the final in Ningbo marked her fourth final of the season and her second title, following her June triumph in Eastbourne. She won the final against fellow Russian Mirra Andreeva (6:0, 4:6, 6:4). In September, Kasatkina reached the final in Seoul at another WTA 500 event, but lost to the same Brazilian, Beatriz Haddad Maia (6:1, 4:6, 1:6). There seems to be a connection between her and the American.
McCartney Kessler vs Daria Kasatkina Prediction
The tournament's extension into Saturday should not hinder the Russian in her match against Kessler. Besides her victory over the Brazilian two months ago, there’s little else noteworthy in Kessler's recent performances. McCartney has lost to higher-ranked players, so the victory is expected to go to Daria Kasatkina.
