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Match Details
Fixture: (6) Jenson Brooksby vs Mackenzie McDonald
Date: July 28, 2022
Tournament: Atlanta Open 2022
Round: Second round (Round of 16)
Venue: Atlanta, United States
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Hard
Prize money: $708,530
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | Canada - TSN | Australia - beIN Sports
Jenson Brooksby vs Mackenzie McDonald preview
Compatriots Jenson Brooksby and Mackenzie McDonald are set to duke it out in the second round of the 2022 Atlanta Open on Thursday.
Brooksby kicked off his Atlanta challenge against Benoit Paire in the first round. The young American won the first three games to take a 3-0 lead in the opening set. He held on to this advantage until the end of the set. He faced a break point while serving for the set, but did well enough to save it to clinch the opener.
Paire started the second set with a hold of serve, but completely fell apart after that. Brooksby reeled off the next six games to win the match 6-3, 6-1 and make a victorious debut in Atlanta. The 21-year-old has notched up some good results this year, and if he maintains his form, he's on track to do even better.
Mackenzie McDonald was up against fellow American Denis Kudla in the first round of the Atlanta Open. The 27-year-old jumped to a 2-0 lead in the opening set. After a hold of serve by Kudla, McDonald claimed the next three games to further extend his lead to 5-1.
McDonald faced a break point as he served for the set, but fought it off to win it. He led 3-1 in the second set, but Kudla managed to claw his way back into the match and level the score. The duo broke each other's serve another couple of times as the set headed into a tie-break.
McDonald was constantly on the backfoot in the tie-break, but he held his nerve to stay in it. He eventually saved four set points and closed out the proceedings on his first match point to win 6-2, 7-6(8). This was his first victory in Atlanta, having lost in the opening round here last year.
Jenson Brooksby vs Mackenzie McDonald head-to-head
This will be the first encounter between them, so the head-to-head stands at 0-0 for now.
Jenson Brooksby vs Mackenzie McDonald odds
(All odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Jenson Brooksby vs Mackenzie McDonald prediction
Brooksby has had a slightly better season than McDonald so far, and as such will be favored to win this contest. The 21-year-old played a fantastic match against Paire in the first round. His serve, which can be all over the place at times, was quite steady. He didn't lose serve even once and saved the lone break point he faced with ease.
McDonald was tested a fair bit by Kudla in the first round, but managed to come through. He did quite well during the return games, winning more than 50% of those points. Against Brooksby, whose serve can be a liability, he'll reap rich dividends if he maintains those numbers.
Their execution of groundstrokes and style of play is quite different and this contrast might help each of them figure out a path to victory. Neither player is exactly a big hitter and won't blow the other off the court with their raw power. Brooksby, with his defensive mindset and crafty point construction, might have the edge against McDonald here.
Both players seem evenly matched in various aspects, but Brooksby's consistency is likely to tilt the match in his favor.
Pick: Jenson Brooksby to win in three sets.
