MONDAY, AUG. 28
Big wins in the men’s and women’s singles draws highlighted Day 1 for the UCLA tennis programs at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Playing in her first US Open since making a surprise run to the tournament’s semifinals, former UCLA women’s tennis standout Jennifer Brady was victorious on the women’s side. Then, in evening play, Mackenzie McDonald downed the men’s 15th seed to advance out of the first round for the second time in three years.
Brady opened against Kimberly Birrell of Australia, who is ranked No. 111 in the world. Birrell earned a break of serve at 1-1 in the first set, but Brady quickly answered and went up a break at 4-2. Brady added another at 4-3 and subsequently held serve for the set. Two breaks each in the second resulted in a tiebreaker, which Brady claimed after collecting the final four points. The 6-3, 7-6(4) decision advanced her to the second round, where she meets 24th-seeded Magda Linette of Poland Wednesday.
McDonald set the tone early opposite World No. 15 Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada, seizing the first set by way of a 7-5 tiebreaker result. Auger-Aliassime answered 6-4 in the second, but McDonald was not fazed. He would take six of seven third-set games to move closer to victory in the best-of-five format. Knotted at 3-3 in the fourth, McDonald broke Auger-Aliassime and never looked back, holding for the 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 win and a Wednesday matchup with Borna Gojo or Hugo Dellien.
Bruin Marcos Giron also played in the men’s draw, falling to 21st-seeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain by a 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 score. Giron entered play ranked No. 62, having earned a marquee win versus then-No. 6 Holger Rune of Denmark earlier this month in Toronto.
Set to participate in doubles play in the coming days are Brady (women’s), McDonald (men’s and mixed), Maxime Cressy (men’s) Jean-Julien Rojer (men’s and mixed) and Ena Shibahara (women’s and mixed).
Welcome back, Jennifer Brady!
The American records her first win at the #USOpen since 2020. pic.twitter.com/yXoCNL8iGj
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 28, 2023
Felix Auger-Aliassime makes another early exit at a Grand Slam, this time it’s a defeat from ???? Mackenzie McDonald. pic.twitter.com/Qt5PST40jl
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 29, 2023