WTA Nottingham SF: McCartney Kessler vs Rebecca Sramkova

WTA Nottingham SF: McCartney Kessler vs Rebecca Sramkova – Clash of Momentum

🧠 Form & Context

McCartney Kessler 🇺🇸
🧱 Breakout year: Hobart champion and Austin finalist, thriving with 4–1 grass record in 2025.
💪 Gritty path: Beat Boulter in a tight QF and saved multiple break points vs Haddad Maia in R2.
📈 Surface confidence: Grass debut in Nottingham, but has adapted quickly—wins over Zhu, Boulter show range.
🧠 H2H control: Leads Sramkova 2–1 in 2025, including straight-set wins in Hobart and here in Nottingham.

Rebecca Sramkova 🇸🇰
🧨 Resilient runner: Reached her first WTA SF of the year with three comeback three-set wins.
🎯 Scalps claimed: Defeated Noskova, Putintseva, and Siegemund—each known for physical endurance.
🌀 Patchy season: 14–16 in 2025, but 4–1 during this grass swing, finding form when it matters most.
🔥 Revenge factor: Beat Kessler 6–3, 6–3 in Rome—her cleanest win of the year.

🔍 Match Breakdown

Game styles: Kessler plays first-strike tennis—flattened forehands, sharp angles, and increasingly accurate serving. Grass rewards her aggression.

Sramkova’s disruption: Slovakian relies on mixing pace, absorbing power, and dragging opponents into rhythm-breaking rallies. She excels when she can reset points.

Physical toll: Sramkova has spent over 7 hours on court in Nottingham; Kessler just over 5. The fatigue gap may matter late.

H2H takeaway: While Sramkova flipped the script in Rome, faster surfaces have consistently favoured Kessler’s direct approach.

🔮 Prediction

Expect Sramkova to push early and test Kessler’s nerve, especially in long rallies. But Kessler’s firepower, freshness, and grass efficiency give her the edge—especially if the Slovak’s legs fade in the decider. Pick: Kessler in 3 sets – tighter than expected, but momentum and grass tools tilt the scales toward the American.

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📊 Tale of the Tape

• 2025 W/L: Kessler 22–10 | Sramkova 14–16
• Grass Record (2025): Kessler 4–1 | Sramkova 4–1
• H2H Record: Kessler leads 2–1 (all in 2025)
• Time on Court (Nottingham): Kessler ~5h | Sramkova ~7h