MELBOURNE (AFP) – Defending champion Rafael Nadal crashed out of the Australian Open in round two to 65th-ranked American Mackenzie McDonald in a major upset Wednesday, his worst Grand Slam result in seven years.
The Spanish 36-year-old, who was struggling with what appeared to be a hip injury, slumped 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 at Rod Laver Arena.
Defeat opens the door for arch-rival Novak Djokovic to draw equal with Nadal’s record 22 Slam wins. The Serb is back in Melbourne after missing last year’s tournament when he was deported.
Top seed Nadal never settled, slumping a set behind before taking a medical timeout when a break down in the second set after hurting himself stretching for a forehand and grimacing in pain.
He battled on but was in clear discomfort with his movement hampered.
His wife Mery was seen in the crowd in tears.
“It was pretty tough to stay mentally engaged but I found a way to just pull it out,” said McDonald.
“He’s an incredible champion, he’s never going to give up regardless of the situation. 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.”
The last time Nadal fell so early at a Grand Slam was at the Australian Open in 2016, when he departed in the first round.
The pair had met once before, also in the second round of a Grand Slam. On that occasion, at the 2020 French Open, Nadal dropped just four games in a comfortable victory.
This time McDonald was always in control with Nadal immediately on the back foot, broken on his first service game, with the American bursting out to a 4-1 lead.
WILD WEATHER
World number one Iga Swiatek and dangerous American Jessica Pegula led the charge into the third round on Wednesday as wild weather again played havoc.
Polish title favourite Swiatek swept past Colombia’s Camila Osorio, 6-2, 6-3, under a closed roof on Rod Laver Arena while third seed Pegula downed Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5).
Greece’s Maria Sakkari also went through, but she looked anything but the sixth seed in a 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 struggle against Russian qualifier and college student Diana Shnaider.
Only matches on the three main stadiums, which have roofs, were able to begin on time as persistent rain compounded a scheduling backlog, with hours again lost to the conditions.
It followed intense heat then torrential rain on Tuesday, with long delays and a slew of matches called off.
The three-time major winner will face either 2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu of Canada or Spanish qualifier Cristina Bucsa in the third round.
