Rafael Nadal Rafa Nadal Novak Djokovic Marin Cilic 252 (252) France Australia county Park Rafael Nadal Rafa Nadal Novak Djokovic Marin Cilic 252 (252) France Australia county Park

'Mentally destroyed': Injured champion Rafael Nadal bows out of Australian Open

euronews.com

Defending champion Rafa Nadal crashed out of the Australian Open second round on Wednesday after aggravating a hip problem during his 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 defeat to Mackenzie McDonald -- the Spaniard's latest entry in an injury-blighted history at Melbourne Park.Nadal's elimination shakes up the men's draw and puts a twist in the Grand Slam titles race, with nine-times champion Novak Djokovic able to draw level with the Spaniard's 22 major championships should he take a 10th crown in Australia.Nadal tweaked his left hip while running for a backhand in the second set at Rod Laver Arena, and after inspection from a trainer when trailing 6-4, 5-3, he went off-court for a medical time-out.He returned grim-faced to play out the match, but his movement was clearly affected, particularly on his backhand side, paving the way for McDonald to end the Spaniard's bid for a third Australian Open title.Nadal said the hip had bothered him for a couple of days but nowhere near to the extent of Wednesday's match."I don't know what's going on, if it's muscle, if it's (the) joint," he told reporters."I have a history (of) hip issues.

I had to do treatments in the past, address it a little. (It) was not this amount of problem. Now I feel I cannot move."In the 2018 Australian Open, Nadal was forced to retire in the fifth set from his quarter-final against Marin Cilic because of a hip injury.Before Nadal broke down on Wednesday, hard-hitting McDonald had played superbly to take the first set, going toe-to-toe with the 36-year-old Mallorcan and winning most of the baseline exchanges.If there were any demons from their only previous meeting, a straight sets thrashing by Nadal at the 2020 French Open, McDonald erased them on the Rod Laver Arena hard

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MELBOURNE: An emotional Novak Djokovic called it “the biggest victory in my life” after sweeping past Stefanos Tsitsipas to win a 10th Australian Open title and equal Rafael Nadal’s 22 Grand Slam crowns on Sunday. The Serb will return to world number one as he overcame a hamstring injury and off-court drama to defeat the Greek third seed 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/5) on Rod Laver Arena.
An emotional Novak Djokovic beat Stefanos Tsitsipas Sunday to claim a 10th Australian Open title and equal Rafael Nadal's 22 Grand Slam crowns, a victory that returned him to world number one.
Novak Djokovic beat Stefanos Tsitsipas on Sunday to claim a 10th Australian Open title and equal Rafael Nadal's 22 Grand Slam crowns with a victory that returned him to world number one.
Sebastian Korda stunned two-time losing finalist Daniil Medvedev at the Australian Open on Friday, adding the Russian to a growing list of top seeds crashing out early. The 31st-ranked American, son of 1998 Australian Open champion Petr Korda, blasted past the seventh seed 7-6 (9/7), 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) on Rod Laver Arena to race into the last 16. Korda's upset teed up a clash with Polish 10th seed Hubert Hurkacz -- who battled past Canada's Denis Shapovalov 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, 6-3 -- for a place in the quarter-finals.
Rafael Nadal said he felt "sad" and "tired" on Wednesday, after his earliest exit at a Grand Slam since the 2016 Australian Open when he was eliminated in the first round.

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