By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday December 14, 2021
American Mackenzie McDonald has locked down the ATP’s “Comeback Player of the Year” award. The American, who rose 140 spots in the rankings in 2021, from 194 to 54, completed his recovery from hamstring surgery in 2019 by emerging as a consistent threat on tour.
The 26-year-old finishes the season at a career-high ranking of 54 after a season that saw him go 18-19 and reach his first career ATP final at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C.
McDonald also reached the second week at the Australian Open, where he became the lowest-ranked player to reach the last 16 at the Australian Open since World No. 248 Canas in 2004.
McDonald also won the Nur-Sultan challenger title and reached the semifinals of two other challengers. He won a total of 42 matches across all levels and qualifying.
The winner of the Comeback Player of the Year in the 2021 #ATPAwards is: Mackenzie McDonald 👏 pic.twitter.com/u4AGfiyMJE
— ATP Tour (@atptour) December 14, 2021
“It’s extremely rewarding. For me it’s a massive accomplishment, honestly,” he told the ATP. “At the end of the year I was hoping I was going to be nominated, I got that and then actually winning it is really cool for me. It was a really big comeback and I feel like I put in all the hard work. When I was going through the rehab process I did everything I possibly could to get myself back.”