Mackie McDonald beats top-100 ranked opponent in Sacramento Challenger

Mackie McDonald’s impressive offseason continued Thursday, as the junior tennis player defeated a top-100 pro player to advance to the quarterfinals of the ATP World Tour Sacramento Challenger.

Playing in his fourth Challenger event in the last three months, McDonald downed Tim Smyczek, the No. 98-ranked player in the professional ranks, in straight sets 6-1, 7-5.

The win was McDonald’s second of the tournament, both in straight sets, as the reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year looks to build off the momentum of a semifinal run at last week’s Tiburon Challenger.

McDonald chose to play in the Tiburon Challenger instead of participating in last week’s ITA Men’s All-American Championships, as most top college players did.

Smyczek won the Tiburon Challenger but couldn’t advance past McDonald in the second round of the Sacramento tournament.

Though the winner of the Sacramento Challenger receives a portion of the $100,000 total prize money, McDonald, in order to retain amateur status and play for UCLA in the spring, would have to sacrifice those earnings.

McDonald, UCLA’s No. 1 singles player and part of the No. 1 doubles team, finished the past college season ranked No. 3 in the country after posting a 29-5 overall record. During NCAA tournament play, he defeated No. 1-ranked Axel Alvarez of Oklahoma in straight sets. It was Alvarez’s only loss of the season in a dual match.

In the Sacramento quarterfinals, the Bruin star will be pitted against 19-year-old Jared Donaldson, a fellow American who is ranked No. 153 in the world. Donaldson played in last year’s U.S. Open, where he lost to 20th-seeded Gael Monfils, who praised the teenager’s forehand after the match.

Compiled by Matt Cummings, Bruin Sports senior staff.