We very nearly witnessed one of the greatest upsets in Australian Open history on Wednesday night when third seed Grigor Dimitrov took on Grand Slam novice Mackenzie McDonald.
The Bulgarian, for whom many are predicting big things at this tournament and this season after his stellar 2017 culminating in his ATP Finals triumph, barely survived the challenge of the 186th-ranked American qualifier. Yet just before midnight, after toiling almost three-and-a-half hours, he finally did.
This was not Dimitrov’s best tennis. In fact, the fourth set was probably some of the worst he’s produced in the past 12 months. But in a sign of his increasing ability to win ugly, he triumphed 4-6 6-2 6-4 0-6 8-6 to set up a third-round stoush with 30th seed Andrey Rublev.
"I have to give him credit. He came out there and started swinging. Played an unbelievable first set. There was honestly not much I could have done. He was serving well, close to the lines, swinging freely, coming to the net, trying to play a different game," Dimitrov assessed.
"In a way, he knew that was the only way he could actually give me a trouble.
"I felt I had a lot of experience behind me. I didn't get too frustrated, I didn't get to tentative on certain shots. I was trying to be patient and play just a very simple game. That was the biggest key for me today, like my experience overall, being in those matches."
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So who is Mackenzie McDonald? He’s the American former college kid who, until, this week, had never won a tour-level match. Who’d never been ranked higher than No.164. Who’d previously played just four tour-level events – and lost in the first round at all of them.
This was just his second-ever appearance in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament; he’d never played on a court possessing the size and magnitude of Rod Laver Arena. Yet the way he trotted into the stadium with a relaxed wave to the crowd, it was clear he wasn’t overawed by the occasion.
Most in the audience would barely have heard of the 22-year-old – who had won through three rounds of qualifying at Melbourne Park before beating fellow qualifier Elias Ymer in round one – until tonight. But they were certainly impressed.
What they saw was a free-swinging youngster with a bouncy, athletic energy who could crunch an impressive forehand despite his diminutive 178cm frame. He also showed a pleasing willingness to attack the net, frequently venturing forward and striking stylish volleys.
As McDonald flourished in his surrounds, Dimitrov misfired. His normally reliable slice backhand found the net. He sprayed groundstrokes. His serve didn’t possess its usual fluidity. All of these factors helped McDonald take the opening set, in a twist that set the nighttime crowd abuzz.
The match reverted to type in sets two and three; towards the end of the second it appeared McDonald was becoming thoroughly overwhelmed when he surrendered four straight games and 16 of the last 21 points.
But then set four arrived. And for the Bulgarian, it was a stanza to forget. He hit just two winners, coughed up 13 unforced errors and won a paltry nine points in the 22-minute whitewash.
"Fourth set was a disgrace," Dimitrov admitted.
And although Dimitrov picked up his game again as the match progressed to a fifth, McDonald wouldn’t go away. After levelling scores at 3-3 when Dimitrov unsuccessfully challenged a line call, the American waved his arms to ignite the crowd and bounced on his toes, relishing the atmosphere. Games continued on serve, with strong support for the underdog, until he finally cracked.
Serving in the 14th and final game, McDonald dished up an untimely double fault to hand Dimitrov a match point. The No.3 seed converted it when McDonald dumped a forehand into the net.
"I just knew I am going to get my moment, my chance. When that came, I grabbed it," Dimitrov said.
"I think that's the beauty of tennis, you always get another day, you survive to another day. Grand Slam is a long way. It's a two-week tournament. Anything can happen. Right now I'm just positive, happy with the situation. You know, win ugly."
