First seed and defending Australian Open champion, Rafael Nadal suffered an early exit, as he fell to a 6-4, 6-4, and 7-5 defeat to the 65th-ranked American, Mackenzie McDonald at Melbourne’s Rod Laver arena.
Nadal was on the back foot from the get-go. McDonald broke Nadal in the first game of the match, before breaking his serve again in the fifth. The Spaniard got one back against McDonald’s serve, but the American held out to take the first set.
The second set started much like the first. Nadal failed to hold his serve in the first game. Again, he broke back but lost the 7th game of the match on his own serve. That saw McDonald’s take the second set.
Nadal fought through the pain in the third set
Nadal’s discomfort was clearly visible. He would first crouch down on his haunches before calling for his physio. The injury scare had Nadal’s wife in tears.
😢😭😢 Mrs. @RafaelNadal 🇪🇸
🎾 #AusOpen 🔛 #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/QGJKKKOZBu
— TRAVEL&Sports (@travel__Sports) January 18, 2023
Nadal looked stumped after that. He struggled to run and couldn’t generate as much power from his serve. Still, he put up a massive fight. It’s the class you would expect from a 22-time Grand Slam Champion. Unfortunately, the sun is starting to set on his career.
One of the greatest mindsets in sport 💪@rafaelnadal #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/2MduyTwqcY
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) January 18, 2023
McDonald would win the penultimate game of the third set against Nadal’s serve. The 27-year-old then held his own to claim an unlikely victory.
Watch: Rafael Nadal’s second-round exit at the Australian Open
Always giving his best 💯@RafaelNadal • #AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/I80XKmCU50
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2023
American kryptonite
This was Rafael Nadal’s fourth consecutive defeat to an American.
The undisputed king of clay fell to Frances Tiafoe in four sets in the round of 16 at the US Open in September 2022.
At the Paris Masters in November 2022, Nadal fell to Tommy Paul in three sets in a Round of 32 bouts.
His final defeat of the year would be to Taylor Fritz during the group stage of the ATP World Tour Finals.
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