Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the third round at Wimbledon 2026 with a straight-sets win over McCartney Kessler. The world No. 1 from Belarus beat the American 6-1, 7-6(9) on Court 1.
Sabalenka controlled the opening set from the start. She broke serve early and kept the pressure on with powerful groundstrokes. Kessler struggled to find rhythm on grass against the top seed and dropped the set quickly. Sabalenka finished the set with strong serving and consistent winners to take it 6-1.
The second set turned into a battle. Kessler fought back and broke Sabalenka to lead 5-2. She used net approaches effectively and won 11 of 15 points at the net during that stretch. Kessler earned multiple set points and looked close to forcing a decider. Sabalenka stayed aggressive, saved four set points in total, and clawed her way back into the set.
The match went to a tiebreak. It was tight throughout, with both players trading big shots. Aryna Sabalenka trailed at points in the tiebreak but saved key opportunities. She relied on her experience and power to pull ahead. Sabalenka hit 32 winners in the match overall and sealed the win with a strong forehand in the tiebreak. The second set lasted longer and tested her mentally, but she held firm point by point.
The match lasted just over an hour. Sabalenka showed her ability to handle pressure on grass, where she has worked to improve her results in recent years. Kessler, ranked around No. 57 and coming off a strong grass court season that included a title in Nottingham the previous year, showed fight and created chances against the top player. She had beaten lower ranked opponents convincingly earlier in the tournament.
Sabalenka improves her strong tiebreak record in 2026 and extends a long streak of consecutive tiebreak wins at Grand Slams. She now faces Jelena Ostapenko in the third round. Ostapenko has beaten Sabalenka in their recent meetings and brings her own aggressive style to the matchup.
The win keeps Aryna Sabalenka on track in her bid for a deep run at the All England Club. She continues as the top seed and favorite in the women’s draw. Kessler exits after a competitive performance that highlighted her potential on grass.