play Live Sign upShow navigation menuplay Live Click here to searchsearchSign upSport|TennisSabalenka overcomes Kessler at Wimbledon, sets up Ostapenko clashTop-seeded Aryna Sabalenka will play former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko in a challenging last-32 matchup.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoWorld No 1 Aryna Sabalenka is through to the round of 32 at Wimbledon [Henry Nicholls/AFP]By AFPPublished On 1 Jul 20261 Jul 2026World number one Aryna Sabalenka battled through a tough second set against American McCartney Kessler to reach the Wimbledon third round on Wednesday.
The four-time Grand Slam champion, who has reached 14 successive major quarterfinals, won 6-1, 7-6 (11/9) on Court One to secure a last-32 meeting with 2017 French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko.
“That was a true battle, and I’m super happy that I was able to stay in that second set to get into that tie-break,” said Sabalenka.
“She really tested me, and I’m super happy to pass the test.”
Sabalenka has never won Wimbledon, losing in the semifinals on each of her past three visits.
Kessler missed two set points when serving for the second set at 5-3 ahead, before Sabalenka fought back and took a tie-break, in which her 57th-ranked opponent saw another two set points come and go.
