In celebration of the launch of the USTA Foundation's Mackie McDonald College Fund, read a note from Mackenzie McDonald about what this effort means to him.
Looking back on my nearly 10 years as a professional tennis player (whoa ... has it really been that long?), I've been so grateful to have the opportunities I've had to travel the world and do what I love. You may know me as the guy who beat Rafael Nadal in the last match he ever played at the Australian Open, or as a proud member of multiple U.S. Davis Cup teams, or even as the most recent male tennis player to sweep the NCAA Division I singles and doubles titles (Go Bruins!).
But while you may know all of these things about my life as an athlete, you may not know that my dad was the person who first got me on a tennis court when I was 3. He's also an oral surgeon, and he and my mom instilled the value of a good education in my older sister and me at a young age. Growing up in the Bay Area, I knew there was more for me out there than just playing tennis—my dad, grandfather, uncle and sister all attended UCLA-but the little kid in me who dreamed of winning the US Open still had a tough decision to make when I finished high school. At the time, college tennis wasn't seen as a true pathway to success on the professional tour, even though legends like Arthur Ashe and John McEnroe had done it in the past, and guys like Steve Johnson were showing it was possible in the present. More than a decade on from when I was in high school, the game has changed, and there's strength in numbers: It's an honor to be among champions like Danielle Collins, John Isner, Ben Shelton, and the countless others who've now made a successful jump from college tennis to the pros.
I want to talk a little bit about why going to college turned out to be one of the best decisions I made in my life, and for my life—and why I'm making it my mission to help open the same doors for the next generation.
When you get to college as a tennis player, the biggest change you need to make is in how you think. It's not just about you, your results and your game anymore. It's about striving to be the best you can be, on the court, in the gym, and in the classroom, to help your team any way you can. Off the court, aside from furthering your education to get the knowledge and skills necessary for a future career that's right for you, you learn to build relationships and make connections in new and meaningful ways. (I'd be the first person to tell you that I had to work on that when I first got to UCLA.) You benefit by having a safe space to learn, grow and make mistakes, as well as access to caring mentors who can help you learn from those mistakes.
The USTA Foundation, the national charitable arm of the United States Tennis Association, believes in all of that, too-and together, we want to help the next generation of students to realize what's possible. That's why I'm proud to announce the launch of the USTA Foundation's Mackie McDonald College Fund, which is going to give young people around the country the opportunity to access resources and tools to succeed, on and off the tennis court, and provide them crucial financial support that will help them chase their college dreams.
Working towards ensuring that all young people, no matter where they come from, are able to unlock all the benefits that higher education has to offer is a responsibility that means so much to me. It ´s heartwarming to know that through the USTA Foundation's Mackie McDonald College Fund, I can play a small part in making an impact—not just on young people and their lives and careers, but on their families, and communities big and small around the country.
The more opportunities we can give to young adults to pursue paths that will set them up for success in the future, the better off our world will be.
Click here to learn more about the USTA Foundation's Mackie McDonald College Fund.