Match Details
Fixation: Alex Molcan vs. Mackenzie McDonald
Tournament: Canadian Open 2022.
Round: First round (16th finals).
Venue: Montreal Canada.
Category: ATP Master 1000.
Surface: Hard.
Prize money: $5,926,545.
Live broadcast: United States – Tennis Channel | Canada – Sportsnet, TVA Sports | United Kingdom – Amazon Prime Video | India – Sports 18.
Preview Alex Molcan vs Mackenzie McDonald
Alex Molcan will face Mackenzie McDonald in the first round of the 2022 Canadian Open on Monday.
Molcan has been on the rise this season, amassing 25 wins in 43 matches and earning second-place finishes at the Marrakech Open and Lyon Open. He also reached the semi-finals more recently in Hamburg.
The Slovak beat Borna Coric and Pablo Carreno Busta en route to the last four but couldn’t cross the line against in-form Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz in Hamburg. He will enter Montreal following a second-round exit at the Croatia Open, where he lost to Roberto Carballes Baena 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 in a thrilling three-set encounter.
Mackenzie McDonald, meanwhile, has had a mediocre season so far, claiming 17 wins in 38 matches, including a quarter-final at the Dubai Tennis Championships. He also reached the third round at Roland Garros in Paris before losing to Jannik Sinner in straight sets.
The American will compete in the Canadian Open after early exits at Wimbledon, Atlanta Open and Citi Open. After losing to Jenson Brooksby in the second round in Atlanta, he couldn’t fend off Finnish tennis player Emil Ruusuvuori in the first round in Washington DC.
Alex Molcan vs. Mackenzie McDonald Head to Head
Molcan and McDonald have never faced each other before. Their head-to-head is locked at 0-0.
Alex Molcan vs. Mackenzie McDonald Odds
All odds are from BetMGM.
Alex Molcan vs Mackenzie McDonald Prediction
Molcan will be the slight favorite for this contest given his strong performance on the main circuit. He has already beaten established opponents such as Félix Auger-Aliassime, Alex de Minaur, David Goffin and Karen Khachanov this year.
The Slovak brings a lot of energy to the pitch and has excellent balance in his overall game. He has powerful groundstrokes at both ends of the court and makes life even harder for his opponents with disguised drop shots and backhand slices. During rallies, he has the uncanny ability to use the full width of the field to gain the advantage.
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McDonald’s will have to be on their toes and keep an eye out for Molcan’s clever gameplay. Although he has put in decent performances against players like Nick Kyrgios and Jannik Sinner in the past, he is yet to register a big win and hasn’t made a significant impact in any tournament. The American must seek to play his shots and apply as much pressure as possible on his opponent from the start.
Molcan will be up against a high intensity player who will be desperate to get a few wins under his belt. However, the 24-year-old should be able to beat McDonald’s and start his hard-court season with a win.
Take: Alex Molcan wins in straight sets.