Billy Martin remembers watching Mackenzie McDonald play tennis as a 7-year-old.
It’s the Little Mo tournament in San Diego. McDonald is facing Martin’s son, Travis, who was also 7.
McDonald defeated Travis in dominating fashion.
“Mackie was in tears after he put on a shellacking,” Martin recalled.
Far removed from the California courts, McDonald is competing at the 2021 US Open. The Berkeley, Calif., native defeated 27th seed David Goffin in the first round, 6-2, 7-5, 6-3, giving the now-26-year-old his first career US Open singles victory.
Martin, who coached McDonald while the youngster played college tennis at UCLA, credits his work ethic in getting him to this point.
“He was a hard worker at UCLA, with an absolute burning desire to play pro tennis and be successful at it.”
“His love for the sport drives him,” Martin said. “He was a hard worker at UCLA, with an absolute burning desire to play pro tennis and be successful at it.”
This isn’t McDonald’s first time playing in the US Open. In 2016, McDonald, then 21, earned a wild card into the US Open main draw. He took on Czech qualifier Jan Šátral, losing valiantly in five sets.
McDonald's success in the college tennis circuit that year propelled him to receive a US Open wild card. He captured the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships, claiming the school’s 12th singles and 12th doubles titles. As Martin recalled, it was a match against VCU where McDonald showcased his complete arsenal of shots and affinity for big matches.
“He was down a break in the third set and he turned on a different level,” Martin said. “He had that look of determination that he wasn’t going to be denied. That match signified that he matured mentally and he raised his level to play intelligently.”
McDonald grew up playing tennis with his dad, Michael (a UCLA graduate) at age 3. The athletic genes were aplenty in the McDonald offspring, with Mackenzie being a tennis player and his sister, Dana, a gymnast who also attended UCLA.
Going to UCLA to play collegiate tennis meant McDonald inserted himself into a legacy program. Posters of Jimmy Connors and Arthur Ashe hang on campus, signifying two of the program’s most successful tennis alumni. Martin, a former professional tennis player himself, has held the head coaching job at UCLA since 1994. Since then, he’s built a program built on excellence and development.
“Macky McDonald was my roommate my freshman year in college. We had some amazing times together,” said Maxime Cressy, who upset Pablo Carreno Busta in the first round in five sets. “He's a great friend of mine. I've had some unbelievable years at UCLA that I'll keep in my heart. It’s been incredible seeing all the Bruins doing very well.”
UCLA Bruins players go on to have success as pros. Three players Martin coached at UCLA are in the Round of 32 of the US Open: McDonald, Cressy and Marcus Giron. For McDonald, getting his first US Open victory demonstrates the long journey back to the Top 100. In 2019, McDonald tore his right proximal hamstring tendon playing a doubles match. Surgery was required, where he couldn’t walk for three weeks and was off the tour for months.
McDonald stayed determined, putting in long hours of recovery to get back on the court and playing pro tennis. It’s paid off for the American, who made the Citi Open final in Washington, D.C., this summer, defeating Kei Nishikori in the semifinals. McDonald and the 2014 US Open finalist will meet again on Thursday, with a spot in the third round on the line.
McDonald’s drive and grit motivate him to succeed in his career resurgence. Built during his college days under Martin, McDonald’s work ethic is unmatched and will take him to new levels in his tennis growth.
“From day one at UCLA, we're not striving for anything other than excellence and that means national championships,” Martin said. “Mackie went above and beyond, putting in the extra work on his own. It’s why all the Bruins in the main draw have done as well as they have over the last few years.
