Injuries brought Caty McNally’s progress to a halt in 2024, leaving her with little choice but to undergo elbow surgery and start over.
The Cincinnati native, once ranked as high as No. 54 in the world, missed more than a year between Wimbledon 2023 and the start of 2025, slipping outside the Top 1000 in the process.
After a season spent rebuilding, McNally is back—and on Friday in Madrid she was rewarded for her persistence, earning her first career Top 10 win with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over rising Canadian Victoria Mboko.
Ranked No. 76 this week, McNally entered the match 0-8 against Top 10 opponents (and 0-12 against the Top 20), but flipped the narrative with a breakthrough performance to set up a third-round clash with Katerina Siniakova.
The 24-year-old is one of six Americans through to the third round in Madrid.
“It’s been a really long journey to get here,” McNally said. “I’ve been knocking on the door against Top 20 and Top 10 players—winning a set here and there—but not quite putting two sets together. That was a big focus for me this week.”
McNally used her heavy kick serve, backhand slice and deft drop shot to pull away after a tight opening set, winning the final five games of the match.
She had lost to Mboko in straight sets at this year’s Australian Open, but this time she adjusted, capitalizing on the opportunities she had previously missed.
“She’s such a great player—so dangerous—and she can really take the racquet out of your hands,” McNally said. “I knew I had to stay sharp every point. In Australia, I was actually up two breaks in the second set, so I knew I had my chances. I just didn’t take them.”
“I wanted to be strong out there—be a warrior—and play with controlled aggression.”
An aggressive player who likes to move forward, McNally typically thrives on faster surfaces, but she says she feels increasingly comfortable on clay.
“The clay suits my game when I give myself time to adapt,” she said. “I can be creative and use my drop shot. It doesn’t always work, but I learn from that. I just try to be an artist out there and build the points the right way.”
Regardless of surface, the victory serves as a clear signal that McNally is ready to compete with the tour’s elite.
A former World No. 11 in doubles, she owns nine career titles in the discipline and understands what it takes to succeed in high-pressure moments. Now, her goal is to translate that experience into singles success.
McNally, who previously partnered Coco Gauff, is currently ranked No. 52 in doubles and recently captured the Charleston title alongside Desirae Krawczyk.
“I’ve always felt that doubles plays a big role in my singles success,” she said. “You’re constantly playing big points—deciding points, break points—and getting those repetitions. You’re hitting all the same shots under pressure.”
On Friday, she handled those moments with authority. It’s a significant step forward.
“I think it shows that I belong,” she said. “Those matches before were great experiences, but I reached a point where I felt ready to win one.
“Today, I finally put it all together—and that felt really good.”