Mackenzie McDonald

Mackenzie McDonald upset a hobbled Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 on Wednesday in the second round of the Australian Open, eliminating the top seed after two ...

[Rod Laver](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/rod-laver/l058/overview) Arena. [Australian Open](https://www.atptour.com/en/tournaments/australian-open/580/overview) for the second time, having advanced to the fourth round in 2021. 15 [Robby Ginepri](https://www.atptour.com/en/players/robby-ginepri/g569/overview), was comfortable in baseline rallies with the Spaniard. McDonald did not shy away from Nadal's forehand, and the lefty was not able to consistently put the World No. I'm happy I just kept focussing on myself in the end and got through, I got it done." I really wanted to take it to him on a hard court. The American hit a shoveled backhand passing shot up the line past Nadal, whose movement had been hampered. He's never going to give up, regardless of the situation. Although the 22-time Grand Slam champion battled on, he was clearly not 100 per cent physically for the rest of the match. At 5-3, the defending champion left the court with a physio for a medical timeout. "He's an incredible champion. "I thought I was playing really well, serving great, returning well too.

The 22-time major title holder came up limping late in the second set, but played in on an eventual 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 second-round defeat Wednesday on Rod Laver ...

65 advances to face the winner of No. I was not able to run for the ball. I was not able to hit the backhand at all. But I just wanted to finish the match. His first two aces of the match enabled the left-hander to get on the scoreboard first. He barely reacted to McDonald’s last two serves as the former NCAA champion consolidated, before calling for the trainer.

Nadal was not in peak form but did manage to beat Jack Draper 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 in a Round 1 match that took more than 3 1/2 hours in Rod Laver Arena.

The No. You kind of just move on to the next one.” “I was humble enough to accept that (there were) going to be a little bit of ups and downs during the match,” Nadal said. “Today is just one of those days everything was working,” said Pegula, a quarterfinalist in Melbourne each of the past two years. There were plenty of other major titlists on the packed Day 1 schedule, with Petra Kvitova, Elena Rybakina, Jelena Ostapenko and Barbora Krejcikova among the winners. And physically, I’ll be first to say I’m still a work in progress.” To go toe-to-toe with him on a big court like that is special,” Draper said. “You are more confident.” 38 this week, was making his fourth trip to a major and his best showing was getting to the third round at the U.S. All in all, it was a bit of a struggle. That’s good, then, because the 36-year-old from Spain was not in peak form. From there, though, Nadal would not drop another game, beginning his pursuit of a record-extending 23rd Grand Slam championship with a 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 win that took more than 3 1/2 hours in Rod Laver Arena.

BREAKING: Nadal OUT of Aus Open as injury blow ends reigning champ's title defence.

He served out the set and with it the match, sealing the biggest win of his life. Live Coverage of ATP + WTA Tour Tournaments including Every Finals Match. Watch Tennis Live with beIN SPORTS on Kayo.

Rafael Nadal is out of the Australian Open after picking up a hip injury in the second set of his second round match against Mackenzie McDonald.

With Nadal’s movement clearly restricted, he hit three forehands into the net and McDonald took the second set. What the future holds for Nadal remains to be seen. A remarkable 24-shot rally in the first game of the second set was won by McDonald to give him three break points. [Nadal was unhappy with chair umpire Marijana Veljovic](https://www.eurosport.com/tennis/australian-open/2023/rafael-nadal-lets-rip-at-umpire-over-his-towel-at-australian-open-with-you-it-s-always-the-same_sto9329593/story.shtml)about the shot clock, complaining it took too long to get to the towel between points. He clinched a second break to go 4-1 up with a forehand passing shot down the line. Nadal restored parity in the fourth game, breaking McDonald who made an unforced error. He has now lost seven of his last nine singles matches. He immediately called on the trainer at the end of McDonald’s service game before leaving the court for a medical timeout. “On clay court it is tough to hit through but on hard I like my chances. Nadal did save a break point at 4-4 to hold his serve, but McDonald took his second of three break points with a sliced backhand volley to move within a game of the match. ['With you it's always the same!' - Nadal lets rip at umpire over his towel](https://www.eurosport.com/tennis/australian-open/2023/rafael-nadal-lets-rip-at-umpire-over-his-towel-at-australian-open-with-you-it-s-always-the-same_sto9329593/story.shtml) ['Are you okay?!' - Nadal accidentally hits ball kid with powerful forehand](https://www.eurosport.com/tennis/australian-open/2023/rafael-nadal-accidentally-hits-ball-kid-with-powerful-forehand-at-australian-open-are-you-okay_sto9329693/story.shtml) [Nadal pulls up injured in 'very concerning' moment at Australian Open](https://www.eurosport.com/tennis/australian-open/2023/rafael-nadal-pulls-up-injured-in-very-concerning-moment-during-match-at-australian-open-2023_sto9329728/story.shtml) “He’s an incredible champion.

An injury-hampered Rafael Nadal's Australian Open title defence ended with defeat in straight sets to the American Mackenzie McDonald.

It was clear that a hobbled Nadal had almost chance of winning three consecutive sets yet he kept hold of his serve deep into the third set before McDonald finally broke serve and closed out the match, ending Nadal’s miserable day while securing the biggest win of his career. While Nadal trailed by a set and a break at 3-4, he lunged at a defensive forehand and pulled up clutching his stomach area. After suffering from injury while trailing in the second set, the defending champion and top seed was defeated 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 by unseeded American Mackenzie McDonald in the second round.

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