McCartney Kessler of the United States battled back on multiple occasions this week, which resulted in the highest-level title of her career at the WTA 125 Puerto Vallarta Open.

Kessler, a lucky loser into the main draw, fought back from a set and a break down before outlasting Australian teenager Taylah Preston 5-7, 6-3, 6-0 in Sunday's 1-hour and 50-minute final in Mexico.

The 24-year-old Kessler started the week as the No.1 seed in qualifying, where she was defeated by her fellow American Liv Hovde. However, Kessler got a second chance when she received the lucky loser spot after the injury withdrawal of another American, Amanda Anisimova.

Kessler grabbed that opportunity with both hands, storming to the final without the loss of another set. The 18-year-old Preston, a wild card into the main draw, ended Kessler's set-winning streak and led 7-5, 2-0 in the final, but the American won 12 of the next 13 games to obtain her first WTA 125 title.

Preston went 4-for-4 on break points in the first set on the way to her lead, but sturdy returning by Kessler helped her quickly pull back on serve and grab the momentum in the second set.

Kessler leveled the match at one set apiece after Preston hit a double fault down set point at 5-3. Kessler took command for good in the third set, which ended with Preston's 10th double fault of the match.

Kessler, a former University of Florida Gator, has also won two ITF Challenger titles since September -- both in Rome, Georgia, U.S.A. -- and she won a round at the Australian Open after receiving the USTA reciprocal wild card into that major.

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Both Kessler and Preston made their Grand Slam main-draw debuts at the 2024 Australian Open, and they have each made huge strides in the rankings already this season. Kessler has moved from No.231 at the start of this year to her current No.120; Preston has risen from No.244 to No.153 in the same span.

The home country Mexico did pick up a trophy on Sunday, as their No.1 player, Renata Zarazua, was part of the championship-winning doubles team.

Zarazua paired with Iryna Shymanovich to take the Puerto Vallarta Open doubles title, defeating the all-Italian duo of Angelica Moratelli and Camilla Rosatello 6-2, 7-6(1) in 1 hour and 27 minutes. It is the first WTA 125 doubles title for both Zarazua and Shymanovich.