Jannik Sinner vs Mackenzie McDonald Prediction: The world number 1 will start strong

Analysis and prediction for the US Open Round 128 match between Jannik Sinner and Mackenzie McDonald on the 27th of August 2024.

Coming into this match, Jannik Sinner is arriving in the best form. He's just come off the back of winning at the Cincinnati Open, which included big-name players and Frances Tiafoe in the final. What he did prove on those hard courts was immense strength, showing he can perform in the conditions for such a high-pace game as at the US Open. Off the court, he has a few issues that could ultimately be a distraction to him, particularly in the media with regards to doping allegations a while back.

Sinner will no doubt look to dictate with his powerhouse serve and forehand, backing McDonald well behind the baseline to take control of the tempo. He might expose McDonald a little for his relative lack of firepower by taking the ball early and redirecting the pace.

Mackenzie McDonald has also had a pretty good buildup to the US Open. Not as illustrious a player as Sinner, he nonetheless is a fighter, as is his opponent in this match, and a very fine player from the baseline. He just might come in handy on these fast courts of Flushing Meadows. He is also more familiar with the New York crowd, due to getting quite strong home support.

McDonald needs to focus on patience, consistency, and inducing Sinner to bail out of the long rallies. He's also got to put a lot of spin and angles—most notably on his backhand side—into the ball to disrupt the rhythm of Sinner. He might also have a chance to come to the net because he's had experience playing so many doubles, and with that, he might be able to finish off some quick volleys, especially if Sinner is pinned well back.

The current form and experience Sinner has over McDonald make him quite an overwhelming favorite for this match. However, in this case as well, mental pressure and crowd dynamics may turn this out to be much more competitive than foreseen. But the superior firepower and tactical flexibility make Sinner a winner here in straight sets.

On paper, this will favor Sinner, taking into account the recent form of tournament victories, head-to-head dominance, and superior hard-court stats. This means that the best opportunity for McDonald will be to disrupt Sinner's rhythm. Again, against a player in Sinner's form, this is very difficult. This will be a good test of how Sinner can maintain his cool amidst external pressures on the way to his first-ever Grand Slam title.

• Under 30 Games at 1.6 Odds
• Under 28.5 Games at 1.89 Odds
• Jannik Sinner Win First Set 6-3 at 3.60 Odds