WTA - WTA Australian Open
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Emiliana Arango makes her Australian Open debut and will play fellow unseeded player McCartney Kessler in the first round. This is their second meeting of the year, and the winner will play Jessica Pegula or Anastasia Zakharova next. Read on for our prediction of the match.
Emiliano Arango will hope her struggles this season do not lead to her experiencing an early exit in her Melbourne debut. The Colombian has lost both of her matches to start the new year.
Yet to win even a set, Arango lost to Kessler in Brisbane in her season debut and then to Antonia Ruzic in Hobart. The world number 50 has picked up from where she left off last season and now has won just twice in her last 10 outings.
McCartney Kessler did not build on that season-opening victory over Arango and has lost her last two fixtures. After exiting Brisbane in the second round, the American was eliminated in the first round in Hobart last time out.
Kessler is competing in Melbourne for a third successive season. She has won her opening round tie here just once. Currently ranked in 37th place in the live ranking, Kessler is a hard-court specialist.
Last year, she registered 27 of her 37 total victories on such surfaces.
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Who will win the Emiliana Arango vs McCartney Kessler Tennis game?
Our prediction for the Emiliana Arango vs McCartney Kessler match is: Exact score: 0-2.
The best winner predictions and betting odds for the Emiliana Arango vs McCartney Kessler game on 19/01/2026 of the current WTA Australian Open season:
- Emiliana Arango has a 24.76% chance to win against McCartney Kessler according to Tonybet ⭐ with the odds of 5.2.
- McCartney Kessler has a 75.24% probability of winning facing Emiliana Arango ⭐ with odds of 1.18 at Tonybet.
Emiliana Arango vs McCartney Kessler Best Prediction and Odds
Based on the bookmaker's betting lines in this match, Emiliana Arango has a 24.76 % chance to win.
| Prediction | Chance to win |
|---|---|
| Emiliana Arango | 24.76 % |
| McCartney Kessler | 75.24 % |
Emiliana Arango vs McCartney Kessler Form
Emiliana Arango and McCartney Kessler Last Matches
1/6 (17%)
5/6 (83%)
12 Jan 2026 - Hobart International
4 Jan 2026 - WTA Brisbane
29 Oct 2025 - WTA Hong Kong Open
28 Oct 2025 - WTA Hong Kong Open
18 Oct 2025 - Japan Women's Open
13 Oct 2025 - Japan Women's Open
2/6 (33%)
4/6 (67%)
12 Jan 2026 - Hobart International
6 Jan 2026 - WTA Brisbane
4 Jan 2026 - WTA Brisbane
22 Oct 2025 - Japan Women's Open
20 Oct 2025 - Japan Women's Open
17 Oct 2025 - Ningbo Open
Emiliana Arango vs McCartney Kessler Stats: Head to Head (H2H)
0 %
100 %
4 Jan 2026 - WTA Brisbane
Emiliana Arango - McCartney Kessler Key Points
- Arango has lost both of her matches this season.
- Kessler defeated Arango in their only past encounter.
- Kessler has won 118 matches on hard courts in her career.
- In her last 10 outings on hard courts, Arango has lost eight times.
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Our Emiliana Arango vs McCartney Kessler Prediction
Our prediction for Emiliana Arango v McCartney Kessler is - Exact score: 0-2. Arango has lost both times she has played this season, with one of those losses coming against Kessler. She hasn’t won a set in either encounter and has struggled in recent outings on hard courts.
Though Kessler hasn’t dominated her way to start the year, she is a strong, hard-court player. She should therefore be able to come out on top again against Arango, who is making her Australian Open debut.