Felix Auger Aliassime vs Mackenzie Mcdonald Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP US Open

Prediction published on 27/08/2023, 09:17  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 27/08/2023 at 10:28 in Tennis Predictions

Felix Auger-Aliassime is the 15th seed but he's not having a good 2023. He takes on unseeded Mackenzie McDonald in the US Open first round but has lost both of his last three matches in Grand Slams. The winner of this match will face either Hugo Dellien or qualifier Borna Gojo in round two. Auger-Aliassime began this year ranked sixth in the world but a look at the Live ATP Race shows what a disappointing year the Canadian has had. He's only 49th in terms of ranking points earned this year. The 23-year-old reached the fourth round of the Australian Open this year but has been beaten in his first match at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Form on hard courts hasn't been good with him failing to get past the last 32 of the last three played. He arrives in New York having lost six of his last seven matches. Two years ago he got to the last four of this hard court Grand Slam but doesn't look in anything like the form shown in 2021.

Mackenzie McDonald is 40th in the latest ranking list and 39th in the Live ATP rankings. The American has had a much better preparation for this tournament than his opponent. McDonald got to the last eight in Toronto and had a win over Andrey Rublev. His most recent tournament was in Cincinnati where he beat Holger Rune but then lost in the last 16. His best performance in a hard court tournament this year was in Delray Beach where he lost in the last four. His year began well with a win over Rafa Nadal in the Australian Open (also played on a hard court) but he'll be looking to improve his US Open record. He's only once got past the first round. That was in 2021 when losing in round two. With so many doubts over the form of his opponent, we opt to go for McDonald to win this match.