A straight shot

Big difference in level..

Everything sets them apart. Arango, a young Colombian, is a pure clay-court player who prefers slower surfaces, with the time she needs to build her game. She’s comfortable at altitude, with a high bounce that lets her fully exploit her topspin forehand. On the other hand, she struggles against aggressive servers and short, quick patterns. Her only truly notable results have come in South America, including a final in Guadalajara, at around 1,500 meters of altitude ;)

To sum up, she’s about to face the worst possible playing style for her, in the worst possible conditions. Kessler, coached by her brother, is playing here in her kingdom: fast hard court, sea-level conditions, powerful serve, and constant aggression.

They’ve already faced each other in Brisbane, where Arango could only timidly take four games off the American. I’m expecting a repeat performance, but this time on an even faster court, in Grand Slam–like conditions.