CNN
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Rafael Nadal’s Australian Open title protection got here to a untimely finish on Wednesday as he misplaced 4-6 4-6 5-7 in opposition to American Mackenzie McDonald within the second spherical.
The 36-year-old Nadal struggled with a left hip harm all through the match and wanted therapy in the course of the second set on Rod Laver Area.
He managed to complete the match, ultimately happening to McDonald in two hours and 32 minutes for his earliest exit from a grand slam because the 2016 Australian Open.
“I didn’t wish to retire [as] the defending champion right here. I didn’t wish to go away the courtroom with a retirement,” Nadal instructed reporters.
“It’s higher like this on the finish. I misplaced, nothing to say, congratulate [my] opponent. That’s the game on the similar time – simply attempt your finest till the top.”
McDonald made a quick begin to the match when he broke Nadal’s serve within the opening recreation.
He then did the identical within the second set, taking management of the competition with constant, highly effective hitting from the baseline.
Nadal, who was seeking to lengthen his males’s file of twenty-two grand slam titles on the Australian Open, left the courtroom for a medical timeout at 5-3 within the second set.
The Spaniard was clearly struggling along with his motion within the third set however nonetheless remained on serve till 5-5.
However then McDonald gained the higher hand, securing the essential break with a backhand passing shot as each gamers got here to the online.
He wrapped up the competition the following recreation when Nadal dropped a backhand return into the online to sign the most important victory of the 27-year-old’s profession.
McDonald, unseeded for the match, now has an opportunity to match his best-ever run at a grand slam if he manages to beat Dalibor Svrcina or Yoshihito Nishioka within the third spherical.
“He [Nadal] is an unimaginable champion,” McDonald stated in his on-court interview. “He’s by no means going to surrender, whatever the scenario, so even closing it out in opposition to a prime man like that’s at all times robust.
“I used to be attempting to remain so centered on what I used to be doing. He type of received me out of the rhythm with that however I’m glad I saved specializing in myself ultimately and received by.”
After the match, Nadal stated he would obtain therapy to determine the precise nature and extent of the harm.
“It’s troublesome to make a decision if it’s a muscle, if it’s the joint, if it’s the cartilage … Let’s see how the harm is, after which let’s see how I can handle to comply with the calendar,” he instructed reporters.
