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Rafael Nadal will take on McKenzie McDonald on Wednesday (January 18) in the second round of the 2023 Australian Open.
Nadal has made it to the second round after a tough opening round against Jack Draper, who made the Spaniard toil for victory before he won 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1. Things looked a bit nervy after Draper won the second set, but Nadal took the next two to take the win.
His winning percentage on first serve (72%-62%) made the difference in the win. Nadal also converted 50% of his break points, going 6/12. He won 124 points in the match, while Draper won 14 fewer.
Meanwhile, McDonald is coming off a five-set win over compatriot Brandon Nakashima, winning 7-6, 7-6, 1-6, 6-7, 6-4 in one of the matches of the first round. There wasn't a lot of difference between the two players. McDonald won 167 points, while Nakashima won one fewer. The American, though, faces a tall task in the next round against one of the best players of all time.
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Rafael Nadal vs Mackenzie McDonald: Betting Odds
Nadal is the World No. 2 but is the top seed at the tournament after World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz's withdrawal due to a freak injury in training. This is the defending champion's 18th appearance at the Australian Open, having beaten Daniil Medvedev in a five-set final last year.
McDonald, meanwhile, is ranked 65th in the world but reached a career-high ranking of 48 last year. His best performance at the Australian Open is a Round of 16 appearance in 2021.
Rafael Nadal vs Mackenzie McDonald: Match Details
Fixture: Rafael Nadal @ Mackenzie McDonald
Date & Time: Tuesday, January 17; 10:00 pm ET
Venue: Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Park
Rafael Nadal vs Mackenzie McDonald: Betting Prediction
The two players have met each other only once before, on clay, which Nadal won. However, McDonald would look to take advantage of Nadal's recent patchy form.
Final Prediction: Total Over 30.5 (-120)
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