University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
McDonald Advances to ACI Final
September 11, 2015 | Men's Tennis
Flushing, N.Y.—Cruising past another opponent in straight sets, UCLA junior Mackenzie McDonald advances to the American Collegiate Invitational finals at the U.S. Open. Second-seeded McDonald will face fourth-seeded Gonzales Austin of Vanderbilt on Saturday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y.
In his semifinal match against No. 3 seed Thai-Son Kwiatkowski (Virginia), McDonald set the pace with an early lead and never looked back.
“I felt pretty comfortable with ball placement today,” McDonald said. “I tried to move the ball around. I know that Thai makes a lot of balls, but I just wanted to keep him moving and make him uncomfortable.”
Austin advances to the final after downing No. 1 seed Ryan Shane of Virginia. Despite dropping the first set to Shane, 3-6, Austin rallied to take the match in three, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (6).
The ACI champion will earn a main-draw wild card into the 2016 U.S. Open if ranked No. 120 or better by the 2016 U.S. Open entry deadline next summer. Otherwise, the winner will receive a qualifying wild card. The champion will also get wild cards into two USTA Pro Circuit events, while the runner-up will earn one wild card.
“I'm going day by day right now,” said McDonald of the championship on the line. “I want to play good tennis and do the right things and just keep getting better. That's all I can really control and focus on. When I do that, it makes it a lot easier.”
Day 2 Results of the American Collegiate Invitational
Men's Semifinals
No. 4 Gonzales Austin (graduate, Vanderbilt; Miami) def.
No. 1 Ryan Shane (Sr., Virginia; Falls Church, Va.,), 3-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (6)
No. 2 Mackenzie McDonald (Jr., UCLA; Piedmont, Calif.,) def.
No. 3 Thai-Son Kwiatkowski, Jr., Virginia, Charlotte, N.C.), 6-2, 6-2
Players Mentioned
