Freshman aims to keep up strong play as men’s tennis faces Cal, Stanford

Mackenzie McDonald grew up in the Bay Area, in the shadows of UC Berkeley and Stanford. But coming of age in a family of Bruins, his loyalty was never tested – there was no shaking UCLA from his heart.

McDonald, a freshman who is ranked No. 33 nationwide, will get a chance to show his Bruin pride this weekend, as Stanford (9-2, 2-0 Pac-12) and No. 18 Cal (12-3, 2-0) visit No. 3 UCLA (15-2, 2-0) for the last two conference home games of the regular season. He and the Bruins are in good shape to do so, having won four straight matches dating back to a March 12 defeat against Baylor.

“I’m feeling great at this point in the season,” McDonald said. “Both I and the team as a whole have been playing well, winning matches, and that’s something we’re looking to continue going forward.”

McDonald, who plays in the No. 3 singles spot, has had a large hand in that success. Players and coaches have reveled at how well his consistency has served as a strong driving force for the strong Bruin singles lineup, and his play validates that praise. He has racked up a 15-3 record in singles play this year, with two of those losses coming in the matches UCLA has lost as a team. It’s clear that when McDonald wins, UCLA wins.

“(The freshmen) have done an amazing job, really managed to make their mark on the team,” said senior Clay Thompson. “(McDonald) in particular has done a great job, really been a leader for the freshmen this year.”

According to Thompson, McDonald’s complete game differentiates him from most other players his age, who usually have one or two strong suits but struggle in other areas. In contrast, McDonald’s variety of strokes, aggressiveness and well-rounded style of play have led to his success.

This is evident on the court – McDonald appears to carry himself with ease, a maturity drawn from confidence in his ability. According to him, his biggest point of strength is his movement on the court, something that allows him to get in strong positions to set up his other strokes.

McDonald’s steady consistency was perhaps best evidenced in UCLA’s 4-3 victory against then-No. 2 Virginia on March 6, in which he gritted out a straight-set victory against No. 40 Ryan Shane – UCLA’s only straight-set victory on that day. Despite being only a two-setter, the match took almost as long as the three-set matches on that day, McDonald’s quiet resolve slowly overcoming Shane’s resilience.

The win was a crucial one, allowing the Bruins to clinch the match soon thereafter. Time and time again this year, McDonald has provided these important wins for UCLA.

Coach Billy Martin seconded Thompson’s praise for McDonald, adding his appreciation for how crucial a role he and his fellow freshmen have played for the team this year.

As one of the most highly regarded young players in the country coming into college, McDonald was expected to play well this year. But even given such lofty expectations, it’s hard to overstate how crucial he has been for UCLA this year – and even harder to place a cap on what he can accomplish during his time in Westwood.