McCartney Kessler faces the rising German Ella Seidel this morning in the Cincinnati Open third round.
Seidel, the 20-year-old qualifier ranked No. 125, continues her stunning debut in Cincinnati after upsetting eighth seed Emma Navarro in the second round — her first career win over a top-10 opponent.
Kessler, 26, has climbed the rankings in 2025 on the back of two title runs — at the Nottingham Open and Hobart International — and now sits at No. 32, just shy of her career-high No. 30.
Though she’s exited in the first round of all three Grand Slams this year, she’s building momentum toward a strong run in Flushing with a Round of 16 showing in Montreal, where she beat fourth seed Mirra Andreeva, and a straight-sets win over local favorite Caty McNally here in Cincinnati, 6-4, 6-3.
Both women enter in form and with momentum, setting up a compelling third-round clash.
Seidel–Kessler Head-to-Head
This is their first career meeting.
Prediction
Kessler in 3 sets. Her greater tour experience and ability to adjust under pressure should help her withstand Seidel’s aggressive shot-making and turn the match in her favor after a tight start.
Where to Watch Ella Seidel vs. McCartney Kessler
The Ella Seidel-McCartney Kessler match is scheduled for 11:00 AM Eastern on Champion’s Court at the Lindner Family Tennis Center.
The match may air live on the Tennis Channel or its streaming-only T2 Channel, which is available on Amazon Prime Video here.
The Tennis Channel has a live stream simulcast of its TV coverage here, along with a dedicated feed for the Seidel-Kessler match here.
A standalone Tennis Channel streaming subscription is available for $9.99/month or $109.99/year.
Seidel vs. Kessler
Date: Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Time: 11:00 AM Eastern
Venue: Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mason, Ohio
Court: Champion’s Court
TV: Tennis Channel
Streaming: Tennis Channel app and website
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