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.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A clearly hurting Rafael Nadal lost his second-round match at the Australian Open to Mackenzie McDonald 6-4, 6-4, ...

Nadal’s exit drains the tournament of yet more star power. 2 but was the top seed at Melbourne Park because No. McDonald has never been past the fourth round at a major tournament. This is Nadal’s earliest exit at any Grand Slam tournament since bowing out in the first round in Melbourne in 2016 against No. That also made Verdasco the lowest-ranked player to defeat Nadal in Australia — until, of course, McDonald on Wednesday. He’s never going to give up, regardless of the situation, so even closing it out against a top guy like that is always tough,” said McDonald, a 27-year-old American who won NCAA championships in singles and doubles for UCLA in 2016.

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.

A clearly hurting Rafael Nadal - the No. 1 seed and defending tournament champion - lost his second-round match at the Australian Open to Mackenzie ...

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. Nadal was visited by a trainer on the sideline, then left the court for a medical timeout. That also made Verdasco the lowest-ranked player to defeat Nadal in Australia — until, of course, McDonald on Wednesday. This is Nadal’s earliest exit at any Grand Slam tournament since bowing out in the first round in Melbourne in 2016 against No. He’s never going to give up, regardless of the situation, so even closing it out against a top guy like that is always tough,” said McDonald, a 27-year-old American who won NCAA championships in singles and doubles for UCLA in 2016.

The top seed was already in trouble at a set and a break down to unseeded McDonald when he crouched down in obvious pain clutching his left hip after chasing ...

He caught Nadal cold and broke the Spaniard twice to lead 4-1 before the top seed dug in and made a fight of the opening set. Nadal managed to hold his serve until the 11th game, roared on by fans still believing he could somehow turn things around, but it was a case of when not if McDonald would find a way through and he finished off a 6-4 6-4 7-5 victory. The top seed was already in trouble at a set and a break down to unseeded McDonald when he crouched down in obvious pain clutching his left hip after chasing out wide for a forehand.

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.

Rafael Nadal waved a lingering farewell to the Rod Laver Arena after his latest Australian Open ended with an injury-induced straight sets defeat.

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. 1 seed is stunned by 65th-ranked American Mackenzie McDonald in straight-set upset after struggling with injury

Rafael Nadal's defence of his Australian Open title came to a brutal end in the second round against an inspired Mackenzie McDonald as the inspired Spaniard ...

[Australian Open](https://www.tennis365.com/category/australian-open/) “I’m really happy with that match. The 36-year-old played the third set at walking pace, but he initially held firm as he saved a break point in game nine. By then it was clear that the former world No 1 was struggling and he took a medical timeout at 3-5 down as he struggled with a hip problem. “For you it does not matter, I cannot take the towel at any time. With you it’s always the same. [Live Tennis](https://www.tennis365.com/category/live-tennis/)

Injured Spanish legend Rafael Nadal has bombed out in the second round at the Australian Open, losing in straight sets to USA's Mackenzie McDonald 6-4 6-4 ...

He kind of got me out of the rhythm with that am happy I except focussing on myself in the end and got through." He is never going to give up regardless of the situation. Even closing it out against a top guy like that is always tough. I found a way to pull it out. It was tough to stay mentally engaged. Leading 2-0 and facing one of his heroes, the American looked to take his foot off the pedal a touch in the third set.

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.