Who will catch form for the US Open?

A good opportunity for two similar profiles in this match...

McDonald is having the kind of season he usually has: beating players he is supposed to beat, but really struggling to win against players where he is an underdog. He is solid and fit but lacks any real big weapons, so it kind of makes sense. I also find him quite weak when it comes to pressure moments, especially in more high-stakes matches... Holt made his first match back on hardcourts in Cincinnati, nearly a month after his last match on grass in Newport CH. He faced Boyer, and I don't think he played a particularly strong match; he was very passive and let Boyer take full control of the match, while not being solid enough himself to warrant such passivity.

McDonald has only played Winston-Salem once, in 2016. Otherwise, he has always played Cincinnati -> US Open, despite not having to qualify and not going deep in Cincinnati. So, yes, that's interesting... He is currently ranked 95 and might be feeling a bit of pressure, ranking-wise, especially as he is not getting any younger! Conditions should be quite suitable for him; he is fit and tends to do well on US hardcourts overall. As for Holt, I find him somewhat similar, honestly... he has a solid game but no real standout weapons, and he has yet to make a significant impact on the ATP Tour. I don't think there's much to consider from a matchup perspective. McDonald has a higher floor, but we have seen Holt put up a good fight against ATP players over the year. Both players should be motivated to perform well here, as it presents an opportunity to gain some form ahead of the US Open. They faced off in the Australian Open this year, where McDonald won 4 and 4, but Holt had stronger numbers on second serve, so that could be something to keep in mind for the late match here! So yes, not a lot from a tactical perspective here, let's look at the prices...