2019 Champ McNally Moves on as Young American Talent Shines in Midland

MIDLAND, Mich. (Nov. 2, 2021) - By: Thomas Cluck

Day two at the Dow Tennis Classic saw an action-packed Order of Play featuring a plethora of young American talent with one of the US’ brightest young stars, Caty McNally, headlining the slate.

The 2019 Midland champion, playing just her second tournament since reaching the US Open doubles final alongside partner and fellow teen Coco Gauff in September, got off to a strong start with a comprehensive first set win and rode that opening set to a 6-3, 7-5 victory over US Open junior doubles finalist Reese Brantmeier of Wisconsin, one of the top juniors in the world.

“I’ve never played Reese before so I didn’t know a ton about her game. I knew a little bit just from some film and some stuff that my coaches have told me. But out there I think the first set was great for me. I got down an early break, but I was able to break back and take total control of that first set,” said McNally.

While the score shows straight sets, the 17 year-old Brantmeier made it tough on McNally in the second set, going up 5-2 before Caty clawed her way back to ultimately win and move on to round two.

“In the second set, I broke right off the bat. And then I played a couple more games and just let her kind of dictate, let her get a little bit more comfortable. But I knew when I was down two-five, it was just one break. So if I could just take it, then one at a time on my serve and her serve you know there was a chance that I could still come back and win and I did,” McNally assessed.

McNally, a former top junior herself still just 19 years old, has dealt with some injuries this 2021 season, but returns to the Greater Midland Tennis Center in Michigan, the site of one of her first big victories on the pro circuit, clearly playing some of her best tennis here.

“I love playing in the Midwest. I love playing indoors. I think it suits my game really well and I’m just super comfortable and I’ve always been comfortable playing here in Midland,” commented the Cincinnati native. “I think that’s a huge advantage. And you know, playing in front of such a great tennis crowd is always super helpful. And the people in Midland are great. So yeah, why not play great tennis?”

Up next for McNally is another top American junior and recent US Open girls doubles finalist with Brantmeier, Elvina Kalievea, who got a retirement from her Whitney Osiguwe, another former top US junior, to move on at 6-3, 1-0 up.

“I think I’ve seen her a little bit. I know she’s a good player. I just have to go out there and kind of worry about myself,” added McNally on her next opponent. “I’m sure we’ll watch a little bit of film and get a couple things that I can take on the court with me but yeah I’m happy to get back out there and hopefully I can just keep improving.”

In other action on Tuesday in Midland, the second seed Misaki Doi of Japan made it through a battle with American Katie Volynets of California, hanging on to win 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 in a two hour and 41-minute grinder on Stadium court.

The fourth seed Harriet Dart of Great Britain didn’t fare as well in her contest against Switzerland’s Conny Perrin falling 6-1, 5-7, 6-3 while possibly the match of the day in the all-American showdown went the way of former Ohio State Buckeye Francesca Di Lorenzo over TCU Horned Frog Ellie Douglas, out of the qualifying here, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in a grueling three hours and three minutes on court.

The Dow Tennis Classic rolls on with Wednesday’s action seeing top seed and former winner Madison Brengle take on her countrywoman, also from the United States, Sachia Vickery in the night session on day three here in Midland.