McDonald first Bruin to claim singles, doubles titles in the same year

Junior Mackenzie McDonald lifted his fist in the air, tilting his head back after two resounding victories.

McDonald claimed both the singles and doubles championship titles at the 2016 Division I Men’s Tennis Championship Monday afternoon in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

He is the first player from UCLA and the fifth overall player in post-1976 NCAA Tournament history to snag the singles and doubles championship in the same year. Georgia’s Matias Boeker was the last to do so in 2001.

“I’m really happy with this accomplishment,” McDonald said. “This is unbelievable. I have always wanted to win something for UCLA and to bring back two trophies for them is really cool to me. I’ve always been a Bruin and this means a lot to me.”

The No. 6-ranked All-American upset Ohio State’s No. 1-ranked Mikael Torpegaard 6-3, 6-3 in the singles final before he and his partner, sophomore Martin Redlicki, took down Texas A&M’s No. 8 duo of Arthur Rinderknech and Jackson Winthrow 6-4, 6-1 just hours later.

“For (McDonald) in singles and both of us in doubles I think it was just an incredible couple of weeks for us here in Tulsa and I’m really glad we were able to come up with the title,” Redlicki said. “Words can’t describe it.”

Capturing either of the titles, in one season, is significant – McDonald joins the ranks of 13 UCLA singles and 20 doubles champions such as Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors and his coach, Billy Martin.

Prior singles and doubles champions show that winning both titles is a good premonition of solid success at the next level – that is, if McDonald elects to leave UCLA for a professional career after this season.

Two of the four players – Stanford’s Alex O’Brien (1992) and Bob Bryan (1998) – had fruitful professional careers. Both went on to win Grand Slam titles and have collected multi-million-dollar prize winnings from various tournament victories.

“I’m sure with his parents’ guidance and other close friends’ guidance, he’ll make the right decision that’s best for Mackie,” Martin said. “I don’t think anyone could say it would be a horrible decision for him to not return for his senior year, but there are some positives, possibly.”

Whether or not McDonald returns remains undecided. Regardless, his time as a Bruin has been marked by eye-bulging statistics since he first came to UCLA as the No. 1 recruit in 2013.

McDonald was named singles All-American in each of his three seasons so far as a Bruin and Pac-12 player of the year for two straight seasons. He has had 20-plus win seasons in all three years as well and has been an instrumental part to an immensely talented UCLA roster.

McDonald battled back into relevance this year after being out for the beginning of the season because of a mild sprain in his wrist that he suffered mid-December. But the injury didn’t slow him down. McDonald took down almost every opponent he faced in singles and doubles after jumping back into play.

Even with such a resume, his value as a player is hard to define by a list of statistics. It is McDonald’s intangibles that make him such a formidable foe.

“People talk now in pro tennis about (Novak) Djokovic’s mobility and flexibility and stretching, moving,” Martin said. “There’s no one in college tennis that moves as well as Mackie. I’m really always amazed when I watch him play.”

Despite the individual glory that McDonald will receive, he stressed the impact that Martin has had on his tennis career and himself, both as a coach and a role model.

“It’s been incredible with him the whole time by my side there,” McDonald said. “I’ve known Billy since I was 8 years old, I’m best friends with his son Travis – I know them so well, their whole family. Billy’s almost like a father to me. He has just taken such good care of me over so many years.”