Mackenzie McDonald clinches fourth Challenger title, returns to successful manner

The American Mackenzie McDonald lifted the Shenzhen Longhua Open Challenger title, his fourth in a profession. Mackenzie confronted Arthur Cazaux within the title conflict and prevailed 6-4, 7-6 in an hour and 47 minutes for his first trophy since Nur-Sultan 1 in February 2021!

The 29-year-old scored a career-high 33 ATP wins in 2023, wrapping up the season simply exterior the top-40. As an alternative of constructing on that, McDonald made a sluggish begin to the 2024 season, kicking off the motion with three losses and lacking three and a half months as a consequence of a shoulder harm.

The American earned three wins within the opening 15 matches of the season, bettering that in July in Newport with the quarter-final run. Mackenzie received the opening set in opposition to Jannik Sinner on the US Open earlier than falling in 4 units, falling by means of the rankings checklist earlier than elevating his stage in Thailand and China.

McDonald misplaced the Challenger finals at Nonthaburi 4 and Hangzhou occasions earlier than going all the way in which in Shenzhen, incomes 100 ATP factors and shifting nearer to the top-100 return.

Mackenzie McDonald secured the primary Challenger title since February 2021.

The American struggled within the opening two units in opposition to the lower-ranked Thomas Fancutt within the first spherical earlier than elevating his stage, beating the remaining 4 rivals in straight units and lifting the trophy after over three and a half years.

Mackenzie claimed 5 factors greater than Arthur, prevailing with a single break from solely 4 break possibilities in the complete encounter. The American secured the opening set with three straight video games from 3-4. He denied the one break level of the second set and clinched a tie break 7-4 to emerge on the high and have fun the title.

Cazaux saved a break level within the third sport of the match with a backhand down the road winner and held, avoiding an early setback. McDonald performed in opposition to a break likelihood in sport 4 and denied it with a pressured error, remaining on the optimistic aspect.

They served effectively within the subsequent 4 video games, locking the outcome at 4-4. The Frenchman missed a sport level in sport 9 and sprayed a backhand error to expertise a break level.

He netted a routine forehand, shedding serve and sending his rival in entrance.

The American served for the opener at 5-4 and held with a service winner, wrapping up the opener in 49 minutes. The rivals supplied seven snug holds in the beginning of the second set, staying neck and neck. Mackenzie hit a double fault within the eighth sport, providing Arthur a break likelihood.

The previous top-40 participant denied it with a service winner and held for 4-4. Cazaux stood two factors from taking the set on the return at 6-5 earlier than McDonald held to introduce a tie break. They traded early mini-breaks earlier than the American grabbed one other for a 3-2 lead.

He landed an ace for 5-2 and hit a service winner at 5-4 for 2 match factors. Mackenzie transformed the primary with a service winner, celebrating his fourth Challenger title.