Tennis United
‘One of the best moments of my life’: MacDonald and Matheas’ love of tennis meets love
American couple having fun in New York
August 31, 2024
Pete Staples/USTA
MacKenzie McDonald and Maria Matheas will compete together at the US Open for the second year in a row.
By Andrew Eichenholtz
Americans Mackenzie McDonald and Maria Mateas are competing for more than just the trophy in the US Open mixed doubles draw. Dating partners are competing to stay together longer.
Mathias, who also qualified for the women’s singles, was due to fly to Europe on Saturday to continue her journey, but the wildcards stayed in the draw after beating Fabrice Martin and Alexandra Panova 6-4, 2-6, 10-8 on Friday and, more importantly, stood by each other.
“It means we get to spend more days together because there’s a tournament right around the corner,” said McDonald, who lost to Jannik Sinner in the first round of singles. “There are so many days when we’re both on tour, so we cherish every moment we get together.”
The pair, who have been partners for two and a half years, both said, “I hope so,” when asked if Mathias’ New York commitments could prevent him from competing in the tournament.
The smiles of both players lit up the US Open media center. Their excitement was unmistakable.
“It’s amazing,” said Mathias. “This is actually one of the best moments of my life. I’m so happy right now. I’m going crazy.”
“I was actually pretty nervous there,” McDonald added. “But yeah, I think my excitement showed through at the end. It was really fun. We had a great time there, but it was really, really cool to get the win. We had a tough loss last year, but I’m glad we bounced back and got the ‘Dub’.”
“We went out there and there was only one person in the stands so we thought, ‘Oh, this is good. I won’t be nervous.’ And then it was sold out in the breakers,” Mathias said. “It was really fun. We wanted to have another chance. Last year was my first Grand Slam and I was so nervous.
“Of course we know each other better than anyone else, but I didn’t want to let him down. I don’t know. And this year, I just wanted to go out there and have fun no matter what. And we definitely did that.”
It was the best season of Mateas’ career, as she reached a career-high No. 190 in the PIF WTA rankings. McDonald traveled with her to Santo Domingo at the end of last season, and the Duke star player won her first title in five years.
“That’s the kind of story I’ve had this year,” Mathias said.
“[I] I could have had a little more time in my schedule. [because of my shoulder] “It was better than I expected,” McDonald said. “But it really helped.”
According to the couple, they will likely spend the next two months apart after the US Open. But even when they are not together, they FaceTime each other “more than anyone we know” to feel connected.
“It’s nice to have someone else who understands what you’re doing,” McDonald said. “And more than that, we help each other out and push each other to make sure we’re doing the right thing.”
The former player, who was ranked 37th in the PIF ATP Rankings, added: “I have a lot of work to do to get back to where I want to be. To do that, I have to play in a lot of tournaments and win a lot of matches, even at Challenger level. I’m glad I have someone to support me to get back to the rankings.”
“We are ready,” Mathias added.
While there were a couple arguing on the court, it was clear how much the U.S. players enjoyed their time together on Court 6. Their smiles were still there after the match. But who is the boss on the court?
“There’s no boss, really. I mean, not on or off the court,” Mathias said. “In some ways, I think my words carry more weight off the court. But on the court, he definitely takes the lead. He’s a lot better at what he does than I am, so I still have a lot to learn from him.”
They will next face Italian No. 3 seeds Sara Errani and Andrea Barbassori. Can the home team enjoy a fairytale-like march to the title?
“I don’t know if I can say the ‘T’ word yet. I’m going to take it one game at a time. We’ll see,” McDonald said. “Honestly, just having another dinner, knowing I’m not leaving tomorrow, is a big deal. Honestly, just having another day is a big deal. So, I’m going to enjoy it as much as I can.”
