The incident occurred just a few weeks before the start of this year’s Australian Open, which has a different feel for home fans as a result. And Sabalenka’s reaction showed her affinity for the media figure, who was a regular fixture at Grand Slam tournaments. “Really heartbreaking, honestly, I was shocked,” she told Wide World of Sports when asked about the Australian’s sudden death. “I didn’t want to believe that. I thought, I hope it’s a mistake or something. We had a lot of great, fun interviews. I would never see it [the topic of conversation] coming. I thought he was very fun, always smiling, always. This is really sad for tennis in Australia. I hope his family stays strong, and they will be okay.”
Father-of-one McKenzie-McHarg previously worked for Australian broadcasters Channel Seven and Channel Ten. He then landed a position with FOX Sports Australia, where he remained until 2022 when he was fired by Stan as a US-based sports reporter.
It was during his time with Stan that the 41-year-old interviewed household names like Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, Novak Djokovic and Shaquille O’Neal. He also got to know Sabalenka, whose impression of the broadcaster was that of a bright and bubbly personality.
The last post on McKenzie-McHarg’s Instagram account shows a photo of him and Sabalenka laughing hysterically mid-interview at last year’s US Open. The Belarusian, who is due to face Anastasia Potapova in the third round of the Australian Open, had just won the title in New York and will look to repeat those heroics by clinching her third Melbourne title this month.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner ruled McKenzie-McHarg’s death as an apparent suicide. Tributes to the Melbourne-raised personality flooded in shortly after his death was confirmed.
A statement released by McKenzie-McHarg’s family following his death read: “His passing has come as an unimaginable shock, leaving our family heartbroken and at a loss. Duncan was truly extraordinary — a man whose positivity, care and humor touched everyone he met, and who sat at the heart of so many lives, bringing warmth, laughter and joy wherever he went. Our darling Ducky.”
Eddie McGuire, who worked with McKenzie-McHarg on Triple M’s Hot Breakfast, his first job in broadcasting, also shared his account of the late star.
The Who Wants to Be a Millionaire host wrote: “Like everyone who was exposed to the sunny, optimistic, quirky joy of our friend and colleague Duncan McKenzie-McHarg, the news was heartbreaking and devastating.
“He turned his natural happy and kind disposition into a skill set that disarmed the world’s biggest stars…and the fact he built his international career from scratch brought great admiration from his old mates. Our deepest condolences to Duncan’s family and friends. We are all so sad.”