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Mackenzie McDonald earned John McEnroe's post-game honors and something important Friday: a place in the Wimbledon Round of 16
The American 103rd, a student from UCLA it is not so long ago, played for the first time in the third round of a Grand Slam tournament and won, beating Guido Pella of Argentina 6 -4, 6-4, 7-6 (6).
"I'm incredulous, to be honest, just crazy enough," said McDonald, who grew up in California, and is now based at the US Tennis Association's main training facility in Florida. "I mean, if you told me I'd be in the second week of Wimbledon before the tournament, I would not believe you."
He said that in a monotonous tone, with both hands in "Once I get home and think of everything and anything," said McDonald, who won the NCAA single and double titles in 2016, "I'm going to put a little more emotion in my words. "
The last man to be so far away on his first appearance at Wimbledon was Nick Kyrgios in 2014.
It's been quite a week since McDonald's, 23, was 5 feet 10 inches and said that He was "taught to love" some of the lesser players of the tour like the Belgian David Goffin and the Japanese Kei Nishikori.
McDonald needed a total of nine sets – including three breaks from 39 and a fifth set that finished 11-9 – to pbad the first two rounds, before having an easier time against the Pella, ranked 82. McDonald, who hit 11 aces, won his 16 Service matches and has won more than twice as many podium winners as Pella, 15-6
Pella has surprised Marin Cilic, winner of the US Open 2014. and Wimbledon's runner-up l 39. last year, in a second-round match that started Wednesday, was suspended due to rain, concluded Thursday i.
"I was pretty nervous this morning, waking up. "And even last night, I was just thinking about the opportunity after the fall of Cilic, I thought I had a good chance."
McDonald's thrills were calmed by a conversation with Wayne Ferreira, a former pro who reached the top 10 rankings in the 1990s and coached McDonald's in the juniors.
"He told me just to take advantage and told me that I had nothing to lose and brought me back," McDonald said. one at Court 18 just after defeating Pella – with McEnroe, who won three titles at Wimbledon and four at the US Open.
"Seeing him after this game is pretty cool." McDonald said. "He just said," Great job, congratulations, second week. "
On Monday, McDonald will face Milos Raonic, runner-up at Wimbledon 2016, or Dennis Novak, ranked 171, whose match was suspended on Friday.
They are in the same quarter of the table as John Isner, another American.
"I trained with him last week, before the tournament, and I told my coach that he got a good spot in the table, which wants to say that he did not play Roger (Federer) in the first round or Rafa (Nadal) or any of these guys, because he did not play, that I would not be surprised if it was doing any damage, "said Isner about McDonald's." And he's doing that right now, because he's hitting the ball very well, I think the grbad is a surface that is particularly suited to his game. So I'm not surprised that he is in the eighth finals right now. "
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More tennis coverage AP: https://www.apnews.com/tag/apf-Tennis
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