Nadal’s Australian Open title defense came to an end in the second round against American Mackenzie McDonald. The 36-year-old top seed appeared to be having issues with his left hip and leaned against the advertising boards while in discomfort before leaving the court for a medical timeout at 3-5 down in the second set.
He returned to the court in the third set to a big ovation and put up a good fight. However, he was unable to chase down balls and his forehand lacked its typical intensity. The final score of the match was 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 in favor of World No. 65 McDonald.
Following Nadal’s exit, in an interview with Eurosport, John McEnroe stated that he hopes the 22-time Grand Slam champion will put down his racket whenever he wants, rather than when the fans want him to.
The 1983 Australian Open semifinalist went on to remark that while the Spaniard loves playing the sport, he will eventually retire if he is unable to compete for Grand Slam titles.
Rafael Nadal will be out of action for 6-8 weeks due to his injury
Rafael Nadal underwent an MRI scan following his defeat, which led his medical team to discover a tear in the iliopsoas muscle.
The Spaniard subsequently made the announcement via his Twitter account, stating that the injury will keep him out of action for 6-8 weeks. He is likely to miss the Dubai Tennis Championships in February as a result.
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