PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic – Mackenzie McDonald experienced the most important moment of his career with mixed feelings. He defeated Rafael Nadal at a Grand Slam playing the best tennis of his life, but with the pain and discomfort of seeing him injured and suffering.
“I felt like that was really the fall for him, but in the moment I had to keep my composure; it was sad to see one of our best champions get hurt against me,” McDonald told CLAY in an interview during the Copa Cap Cana.
“Even defeating Nadal when he’s injured is a tough thing to do,” the North American player admitted.
The Spaniard suffered a psoas injury during the second round of the 2023 Australian Open against McDonald. It was the match that marked his path towards retirement: he did not play again that season, and the following year he competed in only a handful of tournaments before saying goodbye to professional tennis.
How do you see the top group of North American players right now? What are the expectations, especially looking at Grand Slams? Do you see one of them pushing forward to maybe win one?
– I’ve been playing for quite a while now, which is crazy. We had a strong group before me, maybe not Grand Slam contenders, but great players. I’d say I’ve been surprised and very happy with the level produced by the younger generation. Taylor Fritz, my good friend, has been close to a Slam title, playing the US Open final. I’ve trained a lot with Ben Shelton, and I definitely consider him a contender for a big title. Someone I’ll be watching closely for maybe a Slam. Even Learner Tien’s level is very high, so it’s possible. I think we’ll keep watching them grow and see what happens.
One shows you talking with Roger Federer on beach loungers. What were you discussing? What relationship do you have with him?
– I’ve spent a lot of time with Roger. I went to Dubai and spent a couple of weeks with him during the 2016 offseason when I had just finished college. For a young guy coming out of college, being able to spend time with him was the experience of a lifetime. That’s when I took that photo, and after that I trained with him in Zurich several times before the grass season. I’m lucky to call him a friend. When we see each other, we always talk. He’s definitely my favourite player. It’s been fun getting closer to him.
– Any advice that has stayed with you forever?
– For sure, a lot of advice from him. I don’t want to share too much, but I do want to say how amazing a person he is before anything else. He’s an incredible player, but as a person he’s extremely kind, and I think that’s very special.