“It’s great because he’s always been kind of helping me with my tennis, both growing up and in college because we were both at the same school,” said Kessler. “We were always around each other, which makes it fun. We have fun when we’re on the road: me, my husband, and brother. We’re able to go on court and do coaching things and then go to dinner and be friends and family. It works out really well.”
It was through her family that she met her now-husband Zach, who she married at the start of a busy off-season in December.
“I think it was good because at the end of the season last year, a lot of people were getting tired and the wedding gave me something to look forward to,” recalled Kessler, who returned to the Top 50 after her run in Austin. “During the off-season, I took some mental time away from tennis; I was still on court a little bit but was mainly having a lot of fun and getting ready for the wedding.”
In between a ceremony in Chattanooga, Tennessee and a honeymoon in Cabo, Kessler embraced the challenge of her first pre-season as a full-fledged WTA player, eager to parlay her early momentum into long-term success.
