McDonald upsets Nakashima in all-American Atlanta showdown

Mackenzie McDonald continues to round into form after a shoulder injury kept him out of ATP Tour action for several months earlier this season. Fresh off a quarter-final run in Newport — his best result of 2024 — the American scored an upset win against Brandon Nakashima on Tuesday at the Atlanta Open.

McDonald knocked out the seventh seed 6-2, 6-4, improving to 4-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. The 29-year-old converted on all three of his break chances and saved all three break points against him, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

The win against the No. 55 in the PIF ATP Rankings is McDonald's best victory by that measure since he beat World No. 40 Max Purcell last year in Tokyo. The former UCLA star earned a personal-best 33 wins in 2023; he is now 4-9 this year.

Yoshihito Nishioka awaits McDonald in the second round after his 7-6(4), 6-3 win against American Zachary Svajda on Monday.

Australian lucky loser Adam Walton also scored on upset on Tuesday, beating sixth seed Miomir Kecmanovic 6-4, 6-4. Like McDonald, Walton saved all three break points against him in his Atlanta opener.

Unbelievable first set for Mayot ✅ 7-6(9)@ATLOpenTennis | #AtlantaOpen pic.twitter.com/ktGOVY54oX

— ATP Tour (@atptour) July 23, 2024

In the most dramatic match of the day, French lucky loser Harold Mayot edged Borna Coric 7-6(9), 6-3. The Atlanta debutant picked up his second Top 100 in by beating the former World No. 12. 

Mayot saved two set points in the marathon first-set tie-break, after fighting off six break points in the opening set. Riding that momentum, 22-year-old broke twice in set two to seal the victory. He will next meet fourth-seeded Aussie Jordan Thompson.

Arthur Rinderknech also advanced with a 6-3, 6-2 win against J.J. Wolf, before rain forced the postponement of Tuesday's evening session.