# #

UCLA at the French Open: Day 2

by uclabruins.com
May 30, 2021
Mackenzie McDonald (Photo: Geoff Burke/USA Today Sports)

TUESDAY, JUNE 1

In her first Grand Slam competition since reaching the Australian Open singles final round in February, former UCLA women's tennis standout Jennifer Brady was victorious in her 2021 French Open debut Tuesday in Paris.

Brady dispatched of Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova in straight sets, earning her third-career trip to the singles second round at Roland-Garros.

Men's doubles play also began Tuesday and two Bruins were in action. With first-time Grand Slam partner Wesley Koolhof, Jean-Julien Rojer made the second round for his third French Open in a row. Mackenzie McDonald, who prevailed on the singles courts Sunday, was felled alongside Taylor Fritz.

Playing on Court 7, the 13th-seeded Brady came from behind before taking the final three games of her first set across from Sevastrova. Brady broke to open and close the second for a 6-3, 6-3 win. She will next meet Fiona Ferro of France Thursday at a time to be announced.

Rojer and Koolhof, seeded 11th, needed a third set to beat Filip Krajinovic and Dusan Lajovic. After being broken at 5-3, Rojer and Koolhof broke back for the first-set win. The second saw Rojer and Koolhof broken at 3-3 and 4-4 to set up the decider. There, after being broken at 1-1, Rojer and Koolhof took the final five games to triumph by 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 score. Their next opponent has yet to be determined.

McDonald and Fritz pushed Simone Bolleli and Maximo Gonzalez in a tight first set before dropping the first three games of the second en route to a 6-4, 6-3 decision. Despite the loss, McDonald will have a chance to reach the singles third round when he takes on No. 22 seed Cristian Garin of Chile Wednesday at 5:15 a.m. PT.

Marcos Giron will also play in the singles second round Wednesday at 5:15 a.m., when he faces Guido Pella of Argentina. Women's doubles, featuring Brady and Ena Shibahara, starts Thursday.

SUNDAY, MAY 30

Former UCLA men's tennis teammates Marcos Giron and Mackenzie McDonald advanced on the first day of French Open main-draw action Sunday in Paris.

Giron, who trailed 6-2, 6-4, 5-1 on Court 7, forced a fourth set against 15th-seeded Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria. Dimitrov was ultimately forced to retire, giving Giron a 2-6, 4-6, 7-5, 3-0 win and his first second-round trip at Roland Garros.

McDonald advanced out of the first round for the second time in as many years, outlasting Emil Ruusuvuori of Finland by a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3 score.

Dimitrov held four match points before Giron mounted his comeback. Giron registered breaks of serve at 2-5, 4-5 and 6-5 to send the contest to a fourth set, which he controlled before Dimitrov bowed out. Giron will next face Guido Pella of Argentina of Wednesday.

McDonald picked up his fourth win in six days at the event, continuing a journey that began in the qualifying round. He previously defeated Thanasi Kokkinakis of Australia (6-4, 6-4), Renzo Olivo of Argentina (6-3, 6-4) and Marco Trungelliti (6-4, 6-4). McDonald took the final three games of the second set to knot that match at one set apiece. He went on to capture a third-set tiebreaker and notched breaks at 1-1 and 2-2 en route to the decider. Next up for McDonald is a Wednesday matchup with No. 22 seed Cristian Garin of Chile. In the meantime, McDonald and Taylor Fritz team up Tuesday to start doubles play.

Joining Giron and McDonald in Paris are fellow former men's standout Jean-Julien Rojer and women's alumnae Jennifer Brady and Ena Shibahara. Rojer and Wesley Koolhof are the 11th-seeded doubles pair. The 13th-seeded Brady starts makes her 2021 singles debut Tuesday before teaming with Ashleigh Barty in the doubles draw Wednesday. Brady and Barty are seeded No. 15. The fourth-seeded doubles tandem of Shibahara and Aoyama also begin play Wednesday.

Related News & Videos