Ben Shelton vs Mackenzie McDonald

ATP Washington 1st Round Preview: Ben Shelton vs Mackenzie McDonald

🧠 Form & Context

Ben Shelton
🔥 Career-best ranking: The 22-year-old broke into the top 10 this year and is now a household name in American tennis.
🎾 Wimbledon QF: Bounced back from a four-match losing streak with a deep run in SW19, beating Sonego and Fucsovics before falling to Sinner.
🏠 Home expectations: Youngest American top-8 player since Roddick (2003) now faces the pressure of performing in the U.S. summer swing.
📍 Washington form: Semifinalist here last year (loss to Cobolli after leading); first-round exit in 2023.

Mackenzie McDonald
🧊 Downward spiral: Hasn’t won back-to-back ATP main draw matches since July 2024.
⚡ Small spark: Beat Colton Smith in R1, showing glimpses of the player who made the final here in 2021.
🔙 H2H deficit: Lost their only meeting to Shelton (Barcelona 2023).
📉 Slipping away: From former top 40 to outside the top 90, his game hasn’t consistently clicked in 2025 despite patches of good form on grass.

🔍 Match Breakdown

This is a high-stakes home opener for Shelton, and while he might feel the heat early on, the lefty’s power game and explosiveness should be the deciding factors. His serve, forehand, and improving confidence on hard courts give him clear advantages over McDonald, who will need to turn this into a baseline battle and hope for Shelton errors.

McDonald’s best shot is to redirect pace, frustrate Shelton with slices and flatter angles, and exploit any over-aggression. But with Shelton’s recent results—particularly on grass and clay where he’s been forced to grind—he’s less vulnerable to those tactics than before.

Fitness and form both lean heavily in Shelton’s favor. Unless nerves get the better of him, this is a matchup he should control from the baseline and finish with statement winners.

🔮 Prediction

Prediction: Shelton in straight sets. If there's a tiebreak or early break deficit, don’t panic—his serve should carry him through.