Andrey Rublev, one of the finest players of the game suffered one of the biggest shockers at the Canadian Open. The player from Russia was defeated by an unseeded Mackie McDonald. In a match that was expected to go in his favor, things took a U-turn and the American player capitalized on it and won 6-4, 6-3.
However, after a straight-set win, Mackie revealed the reason behind his emphatic win. He credited his friend Taylor Fritz for helping him have a clear understanding of Rublev and how to make the best out of his match.
Taylor Fritz is the real reason behind Andrey Rublev’s shocker
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After sealing an emphatic win over the 6th-seeded Rublev, Mackie attended the post-match conference where he was asked the secrets of what he was thinking before facing the Russian player. Responding to this, Mackie said that it was Taylor who helped him a lot. Taylor told where he should place the ball on the court and also revealed that forehand is something that Rublev has a stronghold on.
Mackie, in the interview, acknowledged that he can play pace really well. With some guidance from Fritz and some game reading, he was eventually able to defeat the Russian player in the round of 32 match.
“I feel like with Andre, I can handle the pace very well. Just kind of like playing through the court. He hammers the ball with his forehand, I like to do the same, so I was able to manage it and talked about Fritz before the match, and yesterday he told me I could do this work. So for me, it was more about placing the ball maybe to the backhand corner or the forehand depending on where I want to do, obviously, he has got a massive forehand” revealed Mackie in the post-match interview.
🇺🇸 @MackieMacster reveals which fellow American gave him tips on playing Rublev and how happy he is with girlfriend Maria Mateas.@PrakashAmritraj | #NBO23 pic.twitter.com/gNWKTH5ubn
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) August 9, 2023
However, this was not the first time that Mackie has defeated anyone in the top 10.
Also read: Taylor Fritz Lashes Out at a Fan After He Posts a Cheeky Comment on ATP Rankings
There have been instances when the young American prodigy came forward and shocked the players in the world.
Mackie McDonald has pulled a shocker against Rafael Nadal at AO
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One of the best wins for Mackie came earlier this year when he defeated Rafael Nadal in straight sets. In the fourth round of the Australian Open, Rafa faced Mackie. In a match that many anticipated to go Rafa’s way, it was Mackie who did the turnaround.
Rafael Nadal suffered an injury in the second set. However, instead of discontinuing, he decided to play the match. The Spanish bull however could not do much and he eventually suffered defeat. Not only this, the young American player also managed to pull up a shocker against his friend Taylor Fritz.
Thus, with the win, his head would be held high. Also, this win lands him a spot in the round of 16 where he will be facing Milos Raonic. So, Mackie’s revelation gives us an insight into his understanding of his opponent’s game and how he uses it to make the best for himself.
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