Rafael Nadal

2023 - 1 - 18

Post cover — Image courtesy of "The New York Times"

Top-Seeded Rafael Nadal Loses at Australian Open After Injury (The New York Times)

Nadal, who has won 22 Grand Slams, lost in the second round to Mackenzie McDonald, an American who has never cracked the Top 40 in the world rankings.

Nadal will likely take a break to get healthy again, then, if he can, turn his focus to the spring clay-court season and the French Open. At other moments of disappointment, Nadal has been able to appear philosophical, expressing thanks for the good fortune of his life. Nadal arrived in Australia in December to play for Spain in the inaugural United Cup, a rare competition with both men and women. He also has had to adjust to fatherhood after the birth of his first child, a son, in October. Tiafoe was the first American-born player to beat Nadal at a Grand Slam in nearly two decades. He quickly returned to form and won the final in Melbourne after being two sets down against Daniil Medvedev of Russia. Before the injury, McDonald stood on the baseline and beat Nadal at his own game, meeting Nadal’s power and topspin with his own flatter version of it, curling forehands just above the net and sending Nadal chasing the ball from corner to corner. [Carlos Alcaraz](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/06/sports/tennis/carlos-alcaraz-australian-open.html?action=click&pgtype=Article&state=default&module=styln-australian-open&variant=show®ion=MAIN_CONTENT_1&block=storyline_top_links_recirc), [Naomi Osaka](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/08/sports/tennis/naomi-osaka-withdraws-australian-open.html?action=click&pgtype=Article&state=default&module=styln-australian-open&variant=show®ion=MAIN_CONTENT_1&block=storyline_top_links_recirc)and [Nick Kyrgios](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/16/sports/tennis/nick-kyrgios-australian-open.html?action=click&pgtype=Article&state=default&module=styln-australian-open&variant=show®ion=MAIN_CONTENT_1&block=storyline_top_links_recirc)have all pulled out of the tournament. Down one set and on the ropes against Mackenzie McDonald in the second round of the Australian Open on Wednesday, Nadal injured his hip while chasing down a shot in the eighth game of the second set. Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz beat Nadal later in the fall in other tournaments, when the Spaniard was trying to return late in the season from an abdominal injury. Knowing his day and his tournament were all but done, he watched two aces blaze by, bringing him to the brink of going down two-sets-to-love against McDonald, a 27-year-old American who has never cracked the Top 40 in the world rankings. He somehow stayed even with McDonald through the first 10 games of the second set, hobbling around, taking wild cuts to try to end points quickly.

Defending Champ Rafael Nadal Ousted In Australian Open Second ... (Forbes)

Defending Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal has been bundled out of Australian Open 2023, the 22-time Grand Slam winner labouring with a left hip injury ...

The loss marked the first time Nadal has been knocked out of the second round of a major as the No. The 36-year-old defending champion sustained a left hip injury in the eighth game of the second set as he chased a forehand along the baseline, and immediately left the court for a medical timeout to address it. 6-3 lopsided loss by Nadal at Roland Garros in 2020, he's long wondered how he would fair on a hard court. Though Nadal's movement was clearly hindered, he hung tight in the third set. But Nadal snuffed out McDonald's advantage, putting the match back on even footing at 2-2 just minutes after fighting off a break point that would have dug him into a 0-3 hole. Open.](https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamzagoria/2022/09/05/frances-tiafoe-makes-a-huge-statement-for-american-tennis-shocking-rafael-nadal-in-us-open-4th-round/) Before that, the last American man to defeat Nadal at a major was James Blake at the U.S. McDonald, showing no signs of fatigue after a grueling four-hour first round match, came out of the blocks firing. I was really taking it to him,” said McDonald, who used relentless attacking to gain an advantage on Nadal even before the Spaniard got hurt. His previous earliest exist as the top seed was in the fourth round at the 2009 French Open. The 36-year-old Majorcan started the 2023 season unusually slow, with upset defeats to Cam Norrie and Alex de Minaur at United Cup. Even before Nadal's injury, the stage was set for a potential upset. Rafael Nadal suffered his earliest exit as the No.

Rafael Nadal On Australian Open Injury: 'Sometimes It's Difficult To ... (ATP Tour)

Rafael Nadal reflects on his Australian Open injury and loss to Mackenzie McDonald in the second round of the year's first Grand Slam.

“I think during the match every time I was a little bit closer and was understanding better the things that I had to do to overcome the situation. “I was not able to hit the backhand at all. I was not able to run for the ball. “But I don't know 'til I do the test and all this stuff, I don't know. That's the philosophy of the sport. “I have history in the hip that I had issues. “That's the sport at the same time. “I considered all the time stopping, but I didn't ask the physiotherapist at the end. I had to do treatments in the past, address a little. It's all the amount of work that you need to put together to come back at a decent level.” So I really hope that [this] doesn't put me out of the court for a long time, because then it's tough to make all the recovery again. From there, the match was the American’s for the taking, and take it McDonald did by a 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 margin.

Injury-hit Rafael Nadal knocked out of the Australian Open by ... (CNN)

The 36-year-old Nadal struggled with a left hip injury throughout the match and needed treatment during the second set on Rod Laver Arena. He managed to finish ...

Let’s see how the injury is, and then let’s see how I can manage to follow the calendar,” he told reporters. He kind of got me out of the rhythm with that but I’m happy I kept focusing on myself in the end and got through.” That’s the sport at the same time – just try your best until the end.”

Defending champion Rafael Nadal crashes out of Australian Open (Aljazeera.com)

The Spanish star, suffering from an injury, was beaten in the second round by American Mackenzie McDonald.

I’m really glad I got my chance and got away with it.” But I kind of just kept focusing on myself and got through. “I was trying to stay so focused on what I was doing and he kind of got me out of that with what he was doing.

Rafael Nadal admits defeat to Mackenzie McDonald took physical ... (Tennis365)

Rafael Nadal admitted he felt “mentally destroyed” after the defence of his Australian Open title ended in injury and defeat by American Mackenzie McDonald ...

[Australian Open](https://www.tennis365.com/category/australian-open/) “I didn’t want to retire being defending champion here. Asked why he did not retire, Nadal said: “I was not able to hit the backhand at all. In the end it has been three positive weeks in terms of practice. I just can’t say that I am not destroyed mentally at this time, because I will be lying. Sometimes it’s frustrating. It was not the right moment to have something like this now. “In the end, I can’t complain about my life at all. “I tried until the end. I had to do treatments in the past, address it a little (but there) was not this amount of problem. I don’t know if in good conditions I will win the match, I will have better chances without a doubt. He said: “It has been a couple of days like this, but nothing like today in that movement.

Rafael Nadal loses at Australian Open, injured and 'destroyed' (Home of the Olympic Channel)

Rafael Nadal lost at the Australian Open to American Mackenzie McDonald 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 in the second round in Melbourne.

He squatted behind the baseline and placed his racket down on the court. McDonald has never been past the fourth round at a major tournament. 2 but was the top seed at Melbourne Park because No. That also made Verdasco the lowest-ranked player to defeat Nadal in Australia — until, of course, McDonald on Wednesday. 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. Nadal’s exit drains the tournament of yet more star power. This is Nadal’s earliest exit at any Grand Slam tournament since bowing out in the first round in Melbourne in 2016 against No. Something to tell his grandkids one day, and you have to be happy for that guy.” He kept fighting until basically the end, even though he maybe didn’t have all his game,” said McDonald, a 27-year-old American who won NCAA championships in singles and doubles for UCLA in 2016. 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. Up in the stands, his wife wiped away tears. The defending champion and No.

Australian Open: Top seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal ... (Sky Sports)

Rafael Nadals defence of his Australian Open title ends in injury and defeat by American Mackenzie McDonald in the second round; Nadal takes medical timeout ...

Asked why he did not retire, Nadal said: "I was not able to hit the backhand at all. But I kind of just kept focusing on myself and got through. I had to do treatments in the past, address it a little [but there] was not this amount of problem. I don't know if in good conditions I will win the match, I will have better chances without a doubt. In the end it has been three positive weeks in terms of practice. He said: "It has been a couple of days like this, but nothing like today in that movement.

Rafael Nadal and the North American curse: From Taylor Fritz to ... (Tennis365)

Since the beginning of the 2022 season, Rafael Nadal has lost 11 matches and seven of those have come against players from North America.

[Australian Open](https://www.tennis365.com/category/australian-open/) Shapovalov also got a walkover win at the Paris Masters in 2019. [News](https://www.tennis365.com/category/news/) [Live Tennis](https://www.tennis365.com/category/live-tennis/) [Tennis News](https://www.tennis365.com/category/tennis-news/) [Universal Tennis serve up realistic ratings system – with Novak Djokovic top](https://www.tennis365.com/tennis-news/universal-tennis-rankings-djokovic/) [beat the Spaniard 7-6 (7-3), 6-1](https://www.tennis365.com/tennis-news/nadal-no1-taylor-fritz-atpfinals/) at the ATP Finals in Turin. [securing a 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 victor](https://www.tennis365.com/tennis-news/alarming-moment-rafael-nadal-paris/)y. [he won 6-3, 6-4](https://www.tennis365.com/tennis-news/felix-auger-aliassime-topples-rafael-nadal-in-turin-to-dent-no-1-hopes/) during the group phase of the season-ending tournament in Turin, Italy. [a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory](https://www.tennis365.com/tennis-news/frances-tiafoe-stuns-rafael-nadal-us-open-tears/) for his first-career win over his esteemed colleague. [going down 3–6, 6–7 (5–7)](https://www.tennis365.com/tennis-news/nadal-no1-taylor-fritz-atpfinals/). [he suffered a 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 defeat](https://www.tennis365.com/tennis-news/denis-shapovalov-huge-fan-injured-rafael-nadal-french-open/) at the hands of Canadian Shapovalov.

Defending champion Rafael Nadal ousted from Australian Open (ESPN)

Defending champion Rafael Nadal lost to Mackenzie McDonald in the second round of the Australian Open.

16 [Frances Tiafoe](https://www.espn.com/sports/tennis/players/profile?playerId=2708). [Stefanos Tsitsipas](https://www.espn.com/sports/tennis/players/profile?playerId=2869), No. 6 [Felix Auger-Aliassime](https://www.espn.com/sports/tennis/players/profile?playerId=3209), No. 15 [Jannik Sinner](https://www.espn.com/sports/tennis/players/profile?playerId=3623) and No. He squatted behind the baseline and placed his racket down on the court. 2, but Nadal was the top seed at Melbourne Park because No. Something to tell his grandkids one day, and you have to be happy for that guy.'' McDonald has never been past the fourth round at a major tournament. He kept fighting until basically the end, even though he maybe didn't have all his game,'' said McDonald, a 27-year-old American who won NCAA championships in singles and doubles for UCLA in 2016. He said the hip had been bothering him for a couple of days but that it was never as bad as it became on Wednesday. Nadal returned to play but was physically compromised and not his usual indefatigable self, saying afterward he could not hit his backhand properly and could not run much, either. Up in the stands, his wife wiped away tears.

Hampered by injury, what's next for Rafael Nadal following ... (CNN)

Rafael Nadal leaves the court after losing to Mackenzie McDonald in the Australian Open. MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP/AFP via Getty Images. CNN ...

“He’s going to be the first one to bring it up and I think he deserves that. You are doing the things that you want to do.” “I don’t think we need to speculate constantly about when that’s going to be. When he feels right, it’s going to be right. “When you like do one thing, at the end, sacrifices always make sense, because the ‘sacrifice’ word is not like this. Ultimately, it’s up to him. “I like playing tennis and I know it’s not forever. This new injury is the latest in a long list that have hampered Nadal throughout his career. “It’s very simple: I like what I do,” Nadal told reporters, per ESPN. “Here we are again, six months later, and he’s dealing with another issue in that same area. That’s the sport at the same time – just try your best until the end.” “It’s better like this at the end.

Rafael Nadal

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