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, earning a round of applause and putting 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 his heartbreaking exit, Nadal’s wife, Maria Francisca Perello, was in tears, while his support team also appeared emotional in the player’s box. As discussed in the video below from Eurosport, the Spaniard also received a standing ovation from both his team and the crowd as he walked off the court.
“Just can’t say that I am not destroyed mentally at this time, because I will be lying” - Rafael Nadal after his defeat
In a post-match press conference, Rafael Nadal addressed his defeat, saying despite how “frustrating” and “difficult” it can sometimes be to accept, he must “keep going.”
The Spaniard went on to remark, however, that he couldn’t claim to not have been “mentally destroyed” at the time, since doing so would be disingenuous.
Nadal’s surprise defeat opened the door for his arch-rival Novak Djokovic to equal his record 22 Grand Slam titles. The Serb is back in Melbourne after missing last year’s tournament due to deportation and is in strong form, having defeated Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena in the opening round.
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