Injured Nadal makes early Australian Open exit, Gauff edges Raducanu

MELBOURNE: Defending champion Rafael Nadal hobbled out of the second round in a huge upset at the Australian Open on Wednesday, as Coco Gauff beat Emma Raducanu in a battle of the rising stars. Nadal’s wife Mery was in tears as the injury-hampered Spanish great lost to 65th-ranked Mackenzie McDonald at Rod Laver Arena, where the roof was closed because of more rain in Melbourne. The 36-year-old Nadal was clearly hindered by a hip issue that required a medical timeout, as he went down 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 to the American.

It was the reigning champion’s earliest exit from a major in seven years and will lead to more questions about whether injury and age are catching up with the record 22-time major champion. The men’s title now looks Novak Djokovic’s to lose. Nadal said defeat “hurt” and acknowledged that injuries were taking a toll.

“I’ve never been in a position to complain, life has given me so many positive things that I have no right to complain,” he said. “(But) I am tired, I am sad, I am disappointed, all this is a reality. “From here on...

what I want is to continue playing tennis. Don’t think I’m saying all this because I want to take a step back. “It is not the case, but my current feelings are bad.” In contrast to Nadal’s disappointment and pain, 27-year-old McDonald is into the third round and a match against Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan.

“He’s an incredible champion, he’s never going to give up regardless of the situation,” said McDonald of his beaten opponent. “I was trying to stay focused on what I was trying to do and he kind of got me out of my rhythm, and I just got through it.” Melbourne’s famously fickle weather played more havoc on day three. On Tuesday play on most courts was stopped because of extreme heat