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Match details
Fixture: (WC) Nick Kyrgios vs Mackenzie McDonald
Date: 5 April 2022
Tournament: U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships 2022
Round: First round (Round of 32)
Venue: Houston, Texas, USA
Category: ATP 250
Surface: Clay
Prize money: $665,330
Live telecast: USA - ESPN 3 | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Nick Kyrgios vs Mackenzie McDonald preview
Nick Kyrgios and Mackenzie McDonald will square off in the first round of the 2022 U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships on Tuesday. Kyrgios is set to compete for the first time on clay since the 2019 Italian Open. It was also the tournament where the Australian was defaulted for throwing a chair and smashing his racquet.
Kyrgios has had a career resurgence this year. He won the doubles title at the Australian Open alongside Thanasi Kokkinakis. At the Indian Wells Masters, he reached the quarterfinals where he lost to Rafael Nadal in a tough three-set battle. He beat Casper Ruud along the way for his first top-10 win of the season.
At the Miami Open, Kyrgios defeated World No. 7 Andrey Rublev 6-3, 6-0 in the second round and followed it up with a win over Fabio Fognini in the next round. The Australian bowed out in the fourth round against Jannik Sinner.
Mackenzie McDonald, on the other hand, failed to get past the second round of any of his first six tournaments of the year. He ended the streak at the Dubai Tennis Championships, where he made it to the quarterfinals. The American lost to eventual champion Andrey Rublev in three sets.
At the Indian Wells Masters, McDonald once again fell in the second round, losing to Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets. At the Miami Open, he upset Grigor Dimitrov in the second round, but fell to World No. 4 Alexander Zverev in the next round.
With the hardcourt season behind him, McDonald will be keen to turn his fortunes around on clay.
Nick Kyrgios vs Mackenzie McDonald head-to-head
The pair have faced off once before, with McDonald leading 1-0 in the head-to-head. He won their only encounter in straight sets at the 2021 Washington Open.
Nick Kyrgios vs Mackenzie McDonald prediction
Kyrgios' results this year make him the favorite heading into this encounter. However, neither player is at home on clay. The Australian has won 25 matches on the surface throughout his career and will be sliding across the red dirt for the first time in three years.
While his maiden career final came on clay at the 2015 Estoril Open, Kyrgios has failed to make any further inroads on the surface.
McDonald's results on clay don't bode well for his chances either. The American has lost early in almost all of the tournaments he's participaed in on the surface, with a semi-final showing in a Challenger event last year being his best result so far.
The match is likely to be a scrappy affair. Kyrgios' booming serve isn't as effective on clay, but is still a weapon in his arsenal. He's a much better server than the American, and if he continues to serve like he did in Indian Wells and Miami, he'll have the edge in this match.
The Australian's success in doubles has improved his overall game, making him more proficient at the net.
McDonald doesn't have a potent weapon like his opponent, but his consistency has often won him matches. Kyrgios does have a tendency to self-destruct, especially when things don't go his way, which is more likely to happen on clay.
If McDonald manages to hang with the Australian for a set or so, he could end up winning. But waiting for your opponent to implode isn't a viable strategy, and the American must find a way to be proactive as well.
In the end, despite Kyrgios' distaste towards the red dirt, he's likely to make a winning start.
Prediction: Nick Kyrgios to win in straight sets.
