Caty McNally opens on being in dark mental state after surgery: "I felt like God put me in that hospital with that doctor for a specific reason"

Monday, 27 April 2026 at 17:00

Caty McNally continued her impressive comeback run at the Madrid Open, battling through a dramatic victory to book her place in the last 16, where she will face Marta Kostyuk.

Fresh off one of the biggest wins of her career 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 over Katerina Siniakova at the Madrid Open, McNally showed resilience and perspective in equal measure, saving match points and fighting back from a break down in the deciding set to seal another memorable victory.

“It was such a battle out there today,” McNally said on Tennis Channel. “To be able to save, I don’t even know if it was one or two match points, but to be able to battle like I did no matter what, even being down a break in the third set for a while, I’m so proud of myself. I just can’t take the smile off my face. It’s been such a great week, honestly, and I’m just having such a good time here.”

The American’s run in Madrid marks a remarkable turnaround after a long injury layoff that saw her ranking fall outside the top 1,000. Forced to rebuild on the ITF circuit, McNally embraced the grind, using it as a foundation for her resurgence.

“It’s just been step by step,” she explained. “I had to restart, my ranking was out of the top 1,000. I knew that I needed to go down to the ITF level and just battle.

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“This time last year, I was playing 75Ks in Italy, and I think I was in qualifying at one of them, got to the semis, and they were like, ‘Yeah, you got 29 points,’ and I was like, ‘Great, my body’s exhausted.’

“But honestly, going down to that level gave me so much confidence. Being able to win matches and see your ranking go back up, a win’s a win at any level.”

That steady rebuild has now positioned McNally on the brink of a career-high ranking, though she remains focused on the process rather than the milestone.

“I’m just trying to put the work in daily. I think it’ll come no matter what, whether it’s here, Rome, or Roland Garros. I feel like this is my time. I’m in a really good spot and just enjoying the work.”

Dark mental state

Her journey back has not just been physical, but mental. McNally തുറ openly about the darker moments surrounding her injury and the clarity she has gained since.

“For sure, one hundred percent, I was in a pretty dark place before the surgery,” she admitted. “But once I had it, I started to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“I felt like God put me in that hospital with that doctor for a specific reason. There were a lot of doubts towards the end of rehab, whether I was going to be able to trust it again, whether I was going to be able to string matches together and recover. But I’ve been able to do it.

“I’ve been able to prove my strength in so many different ways, and that’s been unbelievable.”

Caty McNally facing Serena Williams at US Open

That renewed mindset has been evident throughout her performances in Madrid, where she has embraced the moment rather than being overwhelmed by it. “Even playing Mboko, I was able to take a step back and be like, I’m playing a night match in Madrid, this is such a cool experience, try to enjoy it.

“Today, down match point, I saved it, the crowd was behind me, and I was like, what did I do to deserve this support? But this is incredible. I’m so grateful for the fans for choosing me. I was like, why me, but I’ll take it.

“I just have a new perspective. I’m trying to enjoy it more. It’s not so serious, it’s not life or death. You win or you learn. I’ve learned so much from tough losses, and just trying to keep that perspective is what’s really helping me.”

Backing up a breakthrough win is often one of the toughest challenges in tennis, but McNally approached it with discipline, quickly resetting after her top-10 breakthrough.

“I tried to allow myself to enjoy that win that night, and then the next day I was back to work,” she said. “I was really proud to finally get over that hump, but I knew I needed to get back to work. I was in the gym, back on the practice court.”

Fitness has become a cornerstone of her comeback, giving her confidence in long, physical matches. “For sure, I feel like I live in the gym,” she added. “It’s really important. It gives me a lot of confidence when I’m out on the court, knowing that I’ve put the work in.

“I have a great team around me, and they’ve done such a good job with my fitness, allowing me to stay out in these long matches. If I’m not playing my best tennis, I can rely on my fitness, and that’s huge.”

On the clay in Madrid, her game has clicked into place, with her heavy forehand, kick serve, and variety proving particularly effective in the altitude conditions.

“My forehand can do a lot of damage, it can be really heavy and make a lot of these girls uncomfortable,” she said. “If I can hang in those forehand rallies, I can mix it up, go on the run, chip my slice, use the drop shot.

“My kick serve has been doing a lot of damage on these courts too. I’ve just been trying to stay disciplined with that game style, and it’s been working.”

Now into the second week, McNally is relishing the opportunity ahead, with a maiden main draw appearance at Roland Garros also on the horizon.

“I’m really excited to just keep playing,” she said. “Honestly, I just want to keep this going and enjoy every moment.”

Standing in her way next is Kostyuk, another dangerous opponent, but with momentum, confidence, and a refreshed outlook, McNally’s Madrid story is far from finished.

Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief

Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.

Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.

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