Mackenzie McDonald wins in place where he took his first swings
Dec. 18—Mackenzie McDonald took some of his earliest swings under the guidance of a Hawaii tennis legend.
Mackenzie McDonald took some of his earliest swings under the guidance of a Hawaii tennis legend.
So his local connection added some significance to playing in the re-branded Waikiki Cup on Saturday.
McDonald said he was 3 years old when he started working with Rosie Bareis, a member of the USTA Hawaii Pacific Section Hall of Fame and University of Hawaii Circle of Honor. Bareis has remained a part of his inner circle during his ascent to an NCAA championship at UCLA and continued rise in the world rankings since turning pro in 2016.
"She's been like my mother for so long, " McDonald said. "So it's been so nice coming here each time and having family and it's nice to have support and loved ones for sure.
"I still talk to (Baries ). I definitely bounce ideas off of her and she's a part of my team."
McDonald, the 2021 ATP Comeback Player of the Year, entered the week at No. 63 in the world and capped Saturday's exhibitions with a 6-4, 6-2 win over No. 48 Jenson Brooksby on the refurbished Hale Koa tennis courts at Fort DeRussy Park. Brooksby, 22, turned pro last year and rocketed to No. 33 in the world in June.
CoCo Vandeweghe, a two-time grand slam semifinalist, rallied past No. 60 Claire Liu to open the day. After dropping the first set, Vandeweghe took the second to force a 10-point tiebreak. She fell behind 5-1 and fought off two match points before closing out a 4-6, 6-4, 11-9 win.
Liu and McDonald then pulled off a comeback against Vandeweghe and Brooksby in a mixed-doubles match presided over by Kei Nishikori, who was unable to play due to injury, as a guest umpire. Nishikori remained a popular draw for fans, who lined up for autographs and photos.
The Waikiki Cup matches were originally scheduled for today but were moved up to Saturday due to the weather forecast. The event was played under clear skies and marked the return of the event formerly known as the Hawaii Open, which was played indoors at Blaisdell Arena in 2018 and the Stan Sheriff Center in 2019.
"I've enjoyed coming here to this event, so I definitely want to come back many more times, " said McDonald, who will spend Christmas in Northern California before heading Down Under for the first grand slam of 2023, the Australian Open.
"It's great getting matches. I think in years to come they'll have more players as well, and it's actually a really good thing for the players."
