MELBOURNE, Jan 18: Rafael Nadal bowed his head during changeovers and rested his elbows on his knees, the very picture of resignation.
What already was a poor start to 2023, following a year marred by all manner of health issues, reached a low point at the Australian Open on Wednesday.
The defending champion and No. 1 seed at Melbourne Park, Nadal injured his left hip and lost to Mackenzie McDonald 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 in the second round, abruptly ending his bid for a record-extending 23rd Grand Slam trophy.
“It’s a tough moment. It’s a tough day,” said Nadal, a 36-year-old Spaniard. “I can’t say that I am not destroyed mentally at this moment, because I would be lying.”
He pulled up awkwardly at the end of a point late in the second set against the 65th-ranked McDonald.
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 clearly compromised and not his usual indefatigable self, saying afterward that he could not hit his backhand properly and could not run much, either.
But Nadal added that, as the reigning champion of the tournament, he did not want to leave the court via a mid-match retirement. Nadal was not sure exactly what the nature of the injury was, saying that he will have medical tests to determine if it has to do with a muscle, joint or cartilage.
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, McDonald on Wednesday.
McDonald has never been past the fourth round at a major tournament.
In his lone previous matchup against Nadal, at the 2020 French Open, McDonald won a total of just four games in a lopsided loss.
“He kicked my butt,” McDonald recalled Wednesday.
A year ago, Nadal won the Australian Open for the second time to earn his 21st major championship, then raised his total to 22 the most for a man at Roland Garros.
He is currently ranked No. 2.
But was the top seed at Melbourne Park because No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz is sitting out the Australian Open with a bad leg.
Look ahead to Thursday
Andy Murray tries to back up his first-round victory over Matteo Berrettini by winning again and earning a trip to the third round of the Australian Open for the first time since 2017.
The 35-year-old Murray is a three-time Grand Slam champion and a five-time runner-up at Melbourne Park. He played Berrettini for more than 4 1/2 hours in the first round. Novak Djokovic is also in action in the second round as he continues his quest for a record-extending 10th Australian Open title and 22nd Grand Slam trophy overall.
That would tie the men’s record currently held by Rafael Nadal, who lost in the second round Wednesday after hurting his hip.
The most intriguing women’s match on Thursday’s schedule pits WTA Finals champion and No. 4 seed Caroline Garcia against 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez.
Forecast
Cloudy. High of 66 degrees Fahrenheit (19 degrees Celsius).
Wednesday’s key results
Women’s 2nd Round: No.1 Iga Swiatek beat Camila Osorio 6-2, 6-3; No. 3 Jessica Pegula beat Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-2, 7-6 (5); No. 6 Maria Sakkari beat Diana Shnaider 3-6, 7-5, 6-3; Anhelina Kalinina beat No.15 Petra Kvitova 7-5, 6-4
Men’s 2nd Round: Mackenzie McDonald beat No.1 Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-4, 7-5; No. 6 Felix Auger-Aliassime beat Alex Molcan 3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2; No.15 Jannik Sinner beat Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-3, 6-2, 6-2; No. 16 Frances Tiafoe beat Shang Juncheng 6-4, 6-4, 6-1.
Stat of the day
2- Number of times since 2005 that Nadal has lost at the Australian Open before the quarterfinals a first-round exit in 2016 and Wednesday’s second-round defeat.
Qoute of the day
“It’s OK. It’s allowed. It’s allowed. I’m not going to get fined or anything.” Maria Sakkari, defending her coach’s instructions during her match, which is permitted this year. (PTI)
