Robin Anderson has wanted to play at the U.S. Open since she was little.
After seizing her first opportunity by winning the American Collegiate Invitational at the U.S. Open, the recent UCLA graduate may get a chance to play in the U.S. Open next year.
A Bruin sweep of the second annual ACI – UCLA junior Mackie McDonald took the men’s title – positions both winners to earn a main-draw wild card in the 2016 U.S. Open if they are ranked No. 120 or better by next summer’s entry deadline.
Even if they are not ranked highly enough for the main draw, Anderson and McDonald will receive wild card spots in the qualifying draw, as well as wild cards in two USTA Pro Circuit events.
“It takes a good amount of pressure off,” McDonald told UCLA Athletics. “The wild cards are big deals, and I’m extremely excited I can come back and play pros next year.”
The wild cards will help Anderson, the 2014-2015 ITA National Collegiate Player of the Year, as she seeks to replicate her amateur success at the professional level.
“I’m looking forward to getting better every day and to see how far I can go,” Anderson said to UCLA Athletics. “Hopefully I can play all the (Grand) Slams – that’s one of my goals.”
Both Bruin champions took straight-set victories in each of their finals, with McDonald downing Vanderbilt’s Gonzales Austin 6-2, 7-5 and Anderson besting former UCLA teammate Chanelle Van Nguyen 6-4, 6-4.
McDonald, who finished last season No. 3 in the collegiate ranks, showed off an improved serve against Austin, making 76 percent of his first serves and winning points on a stunning 35 of the 39 first serves he converted.
“I was really happy with how I served today,” McDonald said, per UCLA Athletics. “That’s probably the biggest thing I’ve been working on – I changed some things that are helping me out there.”
The UCLA men’s tennis team, lead by McDonald, had a Sweet 16 showing last season, while the women’s team lost in the national championship. Both the men’s and women’s teams start their seasons in the winter.