Mackenzie McDonald

Michael Mackenzie Lowe McDonald (born April 16, 1995) is an American male professional tennis player who won the 2016 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championships in both singles and doubles. After the NCAA tournament, on June 16, 2016, he announced that he would not return to UCLA for his senior year, but turn professional. He received the nickname “Calves Mackenzie” from his friends Reilly Opelka, Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul because of his huge calves.

McDonald was a semifinalist in the boys' singles of the 2012 Australian Open. In 2012, he reached a career high ranking in the ITF World Tour Junior Rankings of number 12 and won the 18s singles title at the 2012 Easter Bowl.

2013

McDonald was listed as the No. 1 player coming into college according to the ITA. As a freshman in UCLA, he was named a Singles All-American and the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. McDonald was also a quarter finalist at the NCAA singles championship while compiling a 33–9 record during the season, including an 18–4 record in dual matches.

2015

At the 2015 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championship, he defeated top-ranked Axel Alvarez of Oklahoma during team competition. He played #1 singles and doubles for the UCLA Bruins for most of the season.

2016

During the 2016 season, he helped his Bruins to the quarterfinals of the Division I Tennis Team Championship. Then on Memorial Day, May 30, McDonald defeated the No. 1 ranked Mikael Torpegaard of Ohio State University for the singles championship at Michael D. Case Tennis Center, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He became the 12th UCLA Bruins player to win the singles title. McDonald also teamed with Martin Redlicki to play for the doubles championship. They defeated the team of Arthur Rinderknech and Jackson Withrow from Texas A&M to win the doubles individual championship. In doing so, McDonald became the first college player to win both the national singles and doubles titles since Matias Boeker of the University of Georgia in 2001.

2013

At age 18, he McDonald qualified for the 2013 Western & Southern Open by defeating two top 100 players despite never previously having earned an ATP point.McDonald lost in the first round to David Goffin in straight sets. He was subsequently given a wildcard entry into the 2013 US Open qualifying.

2014

McDonald qualified into the main draw of the 2014 Challenger in Winnetka, Illinois and defeated world no. 154 Sam Groth.

2016

McDonald was awarded a wild card into the main draw of the US Open, where he lost to Czech qualifier Jan Šátral in five sets in the first round. Beginning in late September and lasting through early October, McDonald had an impressive string of results in challenger level tournaments, winning his first ITF Pro Circuit title at USA F29 Irvine Futures, as well as reaching back to back semifinals in Tiburon and Stockton with impressive wins over three top 150 players.

2017

McDonald began the season winning the singles title at the F1 Los Angeles Pro Futures held at the University of Southern California, beating Carl Söderlund in the final 6–4, 6–0 by winning the last eleven games. In March at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, McDonald, along with former University of Virginia tennis player Danielle Collins, were selected to receive the Oracle US Tennis Awards, given to exceptional collegiate players transitioning to a professional. McDonald won the USA F12 Futures doubles event with Lloyd Glasspool, his fifth career Futures doubles title.

2018

He participated in his first Australian Open in January where he defeated Elias Ymer 6–4, 6–3, 3–6, 6–1 in the first round after winning the qualifiers. In the next round, he was defeated by 3rd ranked Grigor Dimitrov in a 5 set thriller, losing 6–4, 2–6, 4–6, 6–0, 6–8. Later, he won the Seoul Challenger 1–6, 6–4, 6–1 against Jordan Thompson.

At Wimbledon, he reached his first Grand Slam third-round by winning his first-ever 5-set match, 11–9 in the 5th, over Nicolás Jarry in the round of 64. He then proceeded to defeat Guido Pella in straight sets to reach the second week of a grand slam for the first time in his career. He was then defeated in four sets by Milos Raonic in the round of 16.

2019

McDonald reached the final of the Dallas Challenger in February, where he lost 6–4, 6–7, 1–6 to Mitchell Krueger, despite leading by a set and a break in the 2nd set. He also participated in the Delray Beach Open in February, where he defeated Juan Martin del Potro in the quarterfinals 6–4, 3–6, 7–6 to reach his first ATP level semifinals, where lost to Radu Albot 6–3, 0–6, 0–6. His good form carried on into the ATP 500 Acapulco tournament, where he reached the Quarterfinals, eventually losing to Cameron Norrie 3–6, 2–6. These results helped propel him to a career-high ranking of 62°.

McDonald is aggressive baseliner, very similar to Kei Nishikori. McDonald has a very powerful forehand and backhand, which he uses to dictate points and tempo. He is also extremely fast, and athletic which helps him move around the court with fluidity. Much of his success in college was because of his movement and shot creating with his forehand and backhand. McDonald also has tremendous hands especially at the net.

McDonald though has some weaknesses in his game. He does not have a big serve or a big second serve. He also can be overpowered in the return game by players with bigger serves.

Singles: 7 (4–3)

Doubles: 9 (7–2)

Current through the 2019 Australian Open