University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Mackenzie McDonald took home the singles title at the USC Futures on Sunday.
Photo by: UCLA Athletics
McDonald Wins Second Pro Circuit Singles Title
January 08, 2017 | Men's Tennis
Story courtesy of Steve Pratt, USTA
LOS ANGELESย โ Mackenzie McDonald captured his second career USTA Pro Circuit Futures title with a solid 6-4, 6-0 win over University of Virginia freshman Carl Soderlund on Sunday at the Southern California Men's Pro Futures tournament at USC.
ย
Down 1-4 in the first set, the 21-year-old No. 5-seeded McDonald rallied off 11 consecutive games to put an exclamation point on the win, his first at a $25,000 event and good for a $3,200 prize-money check and 27 valuable ATP points.
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"I was a little bit surprised at the start to be down 1-4, but it was only one break," McDonald said. "And I kind of gave that one away. He was serving at 4-2 and I just felt like I just had to stay in every point and I did and got the break back."ย
ย
McDonald added: "He was fighting hard but then he was missing a lot. He was going for broke, and I started ripping my forehand."
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Soderlund, who received $2,120 and 15 points, said he wasn't hurt or feeling fatigued, and that McDonald just stepped up his game. "I was always under pressure and didn't have time to play my game," he said. "It rushed away pretty fast. Of course I could have played better, but it was good of him making me feel uncomfortable out there."
ย
Both players will now turn their attention to the second Pro Futures event in Long Beach, just 15 miles southwest of USC.
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McDonald, who was coached all week by his USTA Coach Brad Stine, said he has matured a lot in the past six months, and that he didn't think about the dollar difference in the checks for winner and runner-up.
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"Nah, I don't think about it," he said, looking down at his trophy. "I love trophies. I just wanted the trophy. I'm a collector of them. I wanted to play well this morning. You don't get to play finals every week so it's nice to come out and play well. I didn't want to put any added pressure on myself though. My job is to now win matches, so I'm pretty happy to get my second one."
ย
Final Singles Score
Mackenzie McDonald, U.S. (5), def. Carl Soderlund, Sweden (8), 6-4, 6-0
ย
Final Doubles Score
Yannick Hanfmann, Germany / Roberto Quiroz, Ecuador, def. Luke Bambridge, Great Britain / Joe Salisbury, Great Britain (1), 3-6, 6-4, 10-8
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USTA Pro Circuit
With approximately 90 tournaments hosted annually throughout the country and prize money ranging from $10,000 to $100,000, the USTA Pro Circuit is the pathway to the US Open and tour-level competition for aspiring tennis players and a frequent battleground for established professionals. The USTA launched its Pro Circuit 37 years ago to provide players with the opportunity to gain professional ranking points, and it has since grown to become the largest developmental tennis circuit in the world, offering nearly $3 million in prize money. Last year, more than 1,000 men and women from more than 70 countries competed in cities nationwide.ย John Isner,ย Maria Sharapova,ย Sam Querrey,ย Sloane Stephens,ย Kei Nishikori,ย Victoria Azarenkaย andย Andy Murrayย are among today's top stars who began their careers on the USTA Pro Circuit.ย
ย
For more information, contact:
Steve Pratt, Tournament Press Aide, (310) 408-4555,ย stevep@bzapr.com
ย
LOS ANGELESย โ Mackenzie McDonald captured his second career USTA Pro Circuit Futures title with a solid 6-4, 6-0 win over University of Virginia freshman Carl Soderlund on Sunday at the Southern California Men's Pro Futures tournament at USC.
ย
Down 1-4 in the first set, the 21-year-old No. 5-seeded McDonald rallied off 11 consecutive games to put an exclamation point on the win, his first at a $25,000 event and good for a $3,200 prize-money check and 27 valuable ATP points.
ย
"I was a little bit surprised at the start to be down 1-4, but it was only one break," McDonald said. "And I kind of gave that one away. He was serving at 4-2 and I just felt like I just had to stay in every point and I did and got the break back."ย
ย
McDonald added: "He was fighting hard but then he was missing a lot. He was going for broke, and I started ripping my forehand."
ย
Soderlund, who received $2,120 and 15 points, said he wasn't hurt or feeling fatigued, and that McDonald just stepped up his game. "I was always under pressure and didn't have time to play my game," he said. "It rushed away pretty fast. Of course I could have played better, but it was good of him making me feel uncomfortable out there."
ย
Both players will now turn their attention to the second Pro Futures event in Long Beach, just 15 miles southwest of USC.
ย
McDonald, who was coached all week by his USTA Coach Brad Stine, said he has matured a lot in the past six months, and that he didn't think about the dollar difference in the checks for winner and runner-up.
ย
"Nah, I don't think about it," he said, looking down at his trophy. "I love trophies. I just wanted the trophy. I'm a collector of them. I wanted to play well this morning. You don't get to play finals every week so it's nice to come out and play well. I didn't want to put any added pressure on myself though. My job is to now win matches, so I'm pretty happy to get my second one."
ย
Final Singles Score
Mackenzie McDonald, U.S. (5), def. Carl Soderlund, Sweden (8), 6-4, 6-0
ย
Final Doubles Score
Yannick Hanfmann, Germany / Roberto Quiroz, Ecuador, def. Luke Bambridge, Great Britain / Joe Salisbury, Great Britain (1), 3-6, 6-4, 10-8
ย
USTA Pro Circuit
With approximately 90 tournaments hosted annually throughout the country and prize money ranging from $10,000 to $100,000, the USTA Pro Circuit is the pathway to the US Open and tour-level competition for aspiring tennis players and a frequent battleground for established professionals. The USTA launched its Pro Circuit 37 years ago to provide players with the opportunity to gain professional ranking points, and it has since grown to become the largest developmental tennis circuit in the world, offering nearly $3 million in prize money. Last year, more than 1,000 men and women from more than 70 countries competed in cities nationwide.ย John Isner,ย Maria Sharapova,ย Sam Querrey,ย Sloane Stephens,ย Kei Nishikori,ย Victoria Azarenkaย andย Andy Murrayย are among today's top stars who began their careers on the USTA Pro Circuit.ย
ย
For more information, contact:
Steve Pratt, Tournament Press Aide, (310) 408-4555,ย stevep@bzapr.com
ย
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