Rafael Nadal

Nadal appeared to be hampered by an injury he picked up in the game's second set.

Djokovic, who has won a record nine Australian Open titles, was unable to defend his crown last year after being dramatically deported from Australia over his Covid vaccination status. When you do things that you like to do, at the end of the day, it's not a sacrifice.” That is the total number of singles Grand Slam titles that Rafael Nadal has won in his career, more than any other player in men’s tennis history. His last two titles came at 2022’s Australian and French Opens. I like to fight for the things that I have been fighting for almost half of my life or even more. Top seed and defending champion Rafael Nadal was knocked out of the Australian Open Wednesday, following a second-round defeat after he appeared to pick up an injury in the middle of the game, ending his pursuit for a record-extending 23rd Grand Slam title.

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 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.

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.

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

Asked why he did not retire, Nadal said: “I was not able to hit the backhand at all. “In the end, I can’t complain about my life at all. It was not the right moment to have something like this now. 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. “I tried until the end.

Eurosport experts Tim Henman and Mats Wilander have given their emotive responses to the heartbreaking injury Rafael Nadal suffered at the Australian Open.

"The game today is so different and it can happen at any time. There were times when you ran 100 per cent for something, but the steps in between shots were never explosive enough to hurt yourself. “It is one of those nightmare injuries. 65 came through to [win the match in straight sets, 6-4 6-4 7-5](https://www.eurosport.co.uk/tennis/australian-open/2023/rafael-nadal-v-mackenzie-mcdonald-live-stream-and-score-updates_sto9328304/story.shtml). [suddenly pulled up with his injury](https://www.eurosport.co.uk/tennis/australian-open/2023/rafael-nadal-pulls-up-injured-in-very-concerning-moment-during-match-at-australian-open-2023_sto9329728/story.shtml). Australian Open

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.

Californian Mackenzie McDonald, ranked 65th in the world outpowered the 22-time grand slam winner Rafael Nadal to clinch a shock straight-set victory, ...

it's a huge disrespect to the opponents if every time you complain of injury in every lost,' one fan wrote. it's a huge disrespect to the opponents if every time you complain of injury in every lost,' one fan wrote (pictured) Having decided to carry on there were discussions between the player and his box, with anxious looks all round. There was no immediate public diagnosis but the problem area looked to be around his lower left ab and hip. Nadal struggled with injury throughout, appearing to injure his left hip during the second set (pictured, a medic attends to the tennis star during the men's singles match on day three of the Australian Open in Melbourne) he should just retire if everything hurts.

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.

In the eagerly anticipated women's singles clash between Coco Gauff and Emma Raducanu, the American triumphed over the Brit in straight sets, though she had to ...

[Australian Open](https://www.tennis365.com/category/australian-open/) How do you recover from that?! [News](https://www.tennis365.com/category/news/) “How did she not remember that? I need to work on that a bit!” I just told myself at least you didn’t face plant on the floor, I was trying to keep things in perspective.

Rafael Nadal's injury problems struck again as the defence of his Australian Open title ended with a second-round defeat by Mackenzie McDonald.

[January 17, 2023] [January 18, 2023]

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.

Spain's Rafael Nadal is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks with a hip injury that hampered him during his exit from the Australian Open.

"The scan showed a grade two injury in the psoas of the left leg," Nadal tweeted on Thursday. [he was "mentally destroyed"](https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/64314854) after his title defence in Melbourne came to an end. [a 6-4 6-4 7-5 defeat by American Mackenzie McDonald](https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/64314237) in the second round on Wednesday.

Rafael Nadal updated his fans by revealing the results of an MRI following an injury he suffered in the second round of the Australian Open.

He also competed in the [United Cup](https://www.atptour.com/en/scores/archive/brisbane-perth-sydney/9900/2023/results) to begin his season. At 3-4 in the second set against McDonald, the Spaniard chased a forehand wide and aggravated an injury that he admitted he had felt for a couple of days. "The MRI shows a grade 2 injury in the iliopsoas muscle in my left leg.

Rafael Nadal underwent a scan in Melbourne on Thursday morning that showed a grade two tear of his iliopsoas muscle, sustained during his second-round exit ...

Let's see how the A six-to-eight-week recuperation would allow Nadal to return well before the clay court season and the run-up to the defence of his French Open title in late May and early June, although would make him a doubt for the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells at the start of March. An update from Nadal's team said he would return to Spain for a period of rest and treatment, with the normal recovery time for the injury from six to eight weeks.