Mackenzie Mcdonald vs Rinky Hijikata Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Newport Open

Prediction published on 15/07/2024, 07:31  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 15/07/2024 at 08:49 in Tennis Predictions

Eighth seed Rinky Hijikata has a tricky first round match in the Hall of Fame Open. He takes on unseeded Mackenzie McDonald for a place in the last 16 of this grass court tournament. Next up for the winner is either Gabriel Diallo or a qualifier.

Hijikata is 74th in the new ranking list and leads his opponent 1-0 in previous meetings. That match was played on grass in the Netherlands last year with the Australian winning in three sets. The 23-year-old reached the last eight at Queen's Club but was beaten in round one at Wimbledon.

That followed a terrible clay court season that saw him lose all four of his matches. Before that the Australian made it to three hard court quarter-finals  This is his second appearance in this tournament, the other was last year when losing to eventual champion Adrian Mannarino.

Mackenzie McDonald is 99th in the rankings but was as high as 37th last year. The American lost in the first round at Wimbledon, the third time that's happened in the past four years. He lost to Emil Ruusuvouri after leading two sets to one.

McDonald only won three of his eight grass court matches played last month and will need to improve on that form now back home in the USA. He's had problems all year and only won one ATP Tour main draw match. We tip Hijikata to win this.