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Match Details
Fixture: (19) Matteo Berrettini vs Mackenzie McDonald
Date: March 25, 2023
Tournament: Miami Open 2023
Round: Second round (Round of 64)
Venue: Miami Gardens, Florida, United States
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Outdoor hardcourt
Prize money: $8,800,000
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel/TC Plus | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Matteo Berrettini vs Mackenzie McDonald preview
After a first-round bye, World No. 23 Matteo Berrettini will take on Mackenzie McDonald in the second round of the 2023 Miami Open on Saturday.
Berrettini started the year by representing Italy in the United Cup. While he won his singles ties against Casper Ruud, Thiago Monteiro and Hubert Hurkacz, he ended up losing to Stefanos Tsitsipas and Taylor Fritz.
Berrettini then lost to a resurgent Andy Murray in a five-set thriller in the first round of the Australian Open. He made it to the quarterfinals of the Mexican Open, but was forced to retire midway through the contest.
Following a first-round bye, the 26-year-old faced qualifier Taro Daniel in the second round of the Indian Wells Masters. He put up a fight, but lost the match in three sets. Berrettini then competed in a Challenger tournament, but failed to make it past the quarterfinals.
McDonald, meanwhile, kicked off his campaign in Miami against Daniel Elahi Galan. The American trailed 2-0 in the first set, but bagged the next four games to put himself in the lead. He kept his nose in front until the end of the set to clinch it.
McDonald broke his opponent's serve twice as he raced to a quick 5-1 lead in the second set. The match ended soon after that, with the 27-year-old winning 6-4, 6-2.
Matteo Berrettini vs Mackenzie McDonald head-to-head
Berrettini leads McDonald 2-0 in the head-to-head. He won their previous encounter at the 2022 Tennis Napoli Cup in three sets.
Matteo Berrettini vs Mackenzie McDonald odds
(Odds are sourced from BetMGM)
Matteo Berrettini vs Mackenzie McDonald prediction
After being sent packing early from Indian Wells, Berrettini competed in a Challenger event to regain some form. However, it didn't end too well for him as he lost to a player ranked outside the top 100. The Italian has struggled with consistency this season.
McDonald, too, has been quite up and down. However, he was quite solid against Galan in the first round in Miami. After a shaky start, he remained in control of the match until the end. The American saved nine of the 10 break points he faced and struck 16 winners, while committing 12 unforced errors.
Berrettini's powerful groundstrokes could put McDonald on the defensive, especially if the former gets an opportunity to unleash his monstrous forehand. The Italian's serve also gets him out of tough spots quite frequently.
But all of that fails to compensate for his unreliable backhand. McDonald has been more consistent in that regard and with the crowd firmly in his corner, the American has the potential to score an upset win.
Pick: Mackenzie McDonald to win in three sets.
