Reigning Australian Open champ Rafael Nadal loses to Mackenzie McDonald after picking up mid-match hip injury
The 22-time major title holder came up limping late in the second set, but played in on an eventual 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 second-round defeat Wednesday on Rod Laver Arena.
Top men’s seed Rafael Nadal saw his Australian Open title defense come crashing down Wednesday, with a mid-match injury hampering the 22-time major champion in an eventual 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 second-round defeat to Mackenzie McDonald.
After the 27-year-old American regained his break advantage for 4-3 in set two, Nadal pulled up gingerly in the next game when moving to his forehand side in the ad court on Rod Laver Arena. He barely reacted to McDonald’s last two serves as the former NCAA champion consolidated, before calling for the trainer.
With pain appearing to stem from his left hip, the 36-year-old left for an off-court medical timeout. Upon returning, he valiantly held, though was visibly compromised. Wife Mery was spotted crying in the stands.
Banged-up Rafael Nadal ousted from Australian Open
A clearly hurting Rafael Nadal lost his second-round match at the Australian Open to Mackenzie McDonald 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 on Wednesday, abruptly ending his title defense and bid for a record-extending 23rd Grand Slam trophy.
It was not immediately clear what was bothering the 35-year-old Spaniard, but he pulled up awkwardly at the end of a point late in the second set against the 65th-ranked McDonald.
The No. 1-seeded Nadal was visited by a trainer on the sideline, then left the court for a medical timeout. Up in the stands, his wife wiped away tears. Nadal returned to play, but was physically compromised and not his usual chase-every-ball self.
This is Nadal’s earliest exit at any Grand Slam tournament since bowing out in the first round in Melbourne in 2016 against No. 45 Fernando Verdasco. That also made Verdasco the lowest-ranked player to defeat Nadal in Australia — until, of course, McDonald on Wednesday.
The defending champion’s watching wife, Xisca, was in tears after he appeared to jar himself around the left hip area late in the second set of his second round match against American Mackenzie McDonald.
He went off for the court for a treatment break but carried on, only to lose 6-4 6-4 7-5 to the former collegiate star from California.
Who is Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal Parera is a Spanish professional tennis player. He is currently ranked world No. 2 in singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).
He has been ranked world No. 1 for 209 weeks, and has finished as the year-end No. 1 five times. Nadal has won an all-time record 22 Grand Slam men’s singles titles, including a record 14 French Open titles. He has won 92 ATP singles titles, including 36 Masters titles, with 63 of these on clay courts. Nadal is one of only two men to complete the Career Golden Slam in singles. His 81 consecutive wins on clay is the longest single-surface win streak in the Open Era.
Who is Mackenzie McDonald
Michael Mackenzie Lowe “Mackie” McDonald is an American professional tennis player. He reached a career-high singles ranking of world No. 48 on 1 August 2022, and No. 90 in doubles on 17 October 2022. He won the 2016 NCAA Division I Tennis Championships in both singles and doubles.
2023 Australian Open
The 2023 Australian Open is a Grand Slam level tennis tournament that is taking place at Melbourne Park, from 16–29 January 2023.
It is the 111th edition of the Australian Open, the 55th in the Open Era, and the first major of the year. The tournament consists of events for professional players in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Junior and wheelchair players will compete in singles and doubles tournaments. As in previous years, the tournament’s main sponsor is Kia.
Rafael Nadal and Ashleigh Barty are the reigning champions in Men’s singles and Women’s singles, respectively. Barty will not defend her title as she retired from the sport in March 2022.