McCartney Kessler Wins Hobart International Title, Defeats Elise Mertens

Find out how McCartney Kessler secured her second WTA title with a dominant performance against Elise Mertens.

McCartney Kessler, 25, has secured her second WTA title by defeating Elise Mertens, 29, in the Hobart International final on Saturday. The American's 6-4, 3-6, 6-0 victory has given her a significant confidence boost ahead of the Australian Open.

Kessler's impressive performance against Mertens saw her hit 44 winners, ultimately proving too much for the Belgian to handle. Mertens, who was seeking her third title in Hobart, having previously won in 2017 and 2018, and finished as runner-up last year, was unable to overcome Kessler's dominance in the deciding set.

Ranked 67th in the world, Kessler wrapped up the win in just over two hours, capping off a remarkable week in Hobart. She will now face China's Zhang Shuai in the first round of the Australian Open, aiming to improve on her second-round exit last year.

Mertens, meanwhile, will face Swiss Viktorija Golubic in her opening round at the Australian Open. The Belgian has a strong record at the tournament, having reached the semi-finals in 2018.