Fourth seed Ben Shelton will face compatriot Mackenzie McDonald in the second round of the Citi DC Open on Tuesday, Jul. 22. The Americans aim to make their mark as the tour shifts back to home conditions in the lead-up to the 2025 US Open.
Shelton hasn’t quite found his rhythm in 2025, making the North American hard-court swing a pivotal chance to turn things around. He’s already delivered a few promising results on the surface, including a semifinal run at the Australian Open, where he lost to eventual champion Sinner, and a quarterfinal showing at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
Ben Shelton vs Mackenzie McDonald Head-to-Head
The 22-year-old’s most recent appearance came during the grass-court swing, where he opened with a solid semifinal run in Stuttgart before losing to Germany’s Alexander Zverev. However, he struggled to maintain that form, bowing out in the first round at the Queen’s Club Championships and falling in the second round in Mallorca despite being the top seed. The American had an impressive run at SW19, but his campaign ended in the quarterfinals at the hands of eventual champion Sinner.
McDonald, on the other hand, has had an even more underwhelming season. The 30-year-old’s best showings on hard courts have been second-round finishes in Delray Beach, Indian Wells, and Houston. His form dipped further during the clay swing, and he failed to gain traction on grass, falling in the second round at the Libema Open and Queen’s Club Championships. He then exited in the qualifiers at Eastbourne and suffered a first-round defeat at Wimbledon.
Nonetheless, he had a strong start at the Citi DC Open, outfoxing compatriot Colton Smith in straight sets in the first round.
The duo have encountered each other just once on tour, with Shelton leading 1-0 in their head-to-head. Their first and only encounter took place at the 2023 Barcelona Open, with Shelton winning in straight sets.
Match Details
- Fixture: Ben Shelton vs Mackenzie McDonald
- Date: Jul. 22, 2025
- Tournament: Mubadala Citi DC Open
- Round: Round of 32
- Venue: William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center, Washington, D.C
- Category: WTA 500
- Surface: Outdoor hard courts
- Live telecast: Tennis Channel, Fubo, ESPN+, Sky Sports
Ben Shelton vs Mackenzie McDonald Prediction
Shelton heads into the tournament in significantly better form than McDonald. The World No. 8 also boasts a stronger win-loss record of 23–15, compared to McDonald’s modest 6–8.
Mackenzie McDonald off to a strong start in Washington!
The world No. 95 leads 6-4, 3-1 in his first-round match against fellow American, ranked No. 140 🔥 pic.twitter.com/D6OTNIZkYE— Fungiball.io 🎾 (@Fungiball_off) July 21, 2025
Shelton’s powerful serve could give him a distinct edge against his upcoming opponent. The 22-year-old has won 74% of points on his first serve and 55% on his second this season, compared to McDonald’s 65% and 51%, respectively.
Shelton’s overall hard-court win percentage of 63.5% comfortably surpasses McDonald’s 58.68%, adding to his advantage. Coupled with a stronger head-to-head and overall record, better recent form, and consistent results, Shelton enters this battle as the clear favorite.
Pick: Shelton in straight sets.
