Rafael Nadal’s Australian Open title defence has come to a dramatic end with the legendary Spaniard hit by injury during a shock second-round loss at Melbourne Park.
Nadal grabbed at his left hip during the eighth game of the second set of his clash with American Mackenzie McDonald, immediately going off court for medical attention.
The 36-year-old resumed playing on Rod Laver Arena but was clearly in pain and struggling to run as McDonald closed out the biggest win of his career 6-4 6-4 7-5.
Nadal’s box, including wife Maria who wiped away tears, was left shattered by the injury as the 22-time major winner seemingly approaches the end of his glittering career.
Even before the injury, Nadal was rattled by McDonald, who broke serve in the opening game of the match.
Nadal became frustrated, arguing multiple times with the chair umpire.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
The apparent hip problem marks the sixth time in his grand career that either injury or illness has cruelled his Australian Open campaign.
He retired in the 2010 quarter-finals against Andy Murray with a knee injury and was badly hindered by a hamstring strain the following year in a last-eighth loss to countryman David Ferrer.
Nadal withdrew from the Open in 2013 with a stomach virus and suffered a back injury in the warm-up before losing the 2014 final to Stan Wawrinka.
In 2018, the great Spaniard quit his quarter-final against Marin Cilic with a hip issue.
Nadal last year finally won a second Australian Open title, 13 years after his first, by coming from two sets down to defeat Russian Daniil Medvedev in a classic decider.
The world No.2’s early exit is another blow for Australian Open organisers, with the draw already ravaged by major withdrawals and retirements.
Women’s titleholder Ash Barty, seven-times champion Serena Williams, her sister Venus, dual winner Naomi Osaka, world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz and the legendary Roger Federer are all missing.
Tennis Australia boss Craig Tiley was captured with a grim look on his face during Nadal’s medical timeout.
After a string of upset losses in the lead-up to the first major of the year, Nadal got shirty at a press conference when he was asked whether his poor form was potentially a sign that he should be considering retirement.
Nadal’s early exit opens the door for former world No.1 Novak Djokovic to take out a record 10th Australian Open title after he was last year unable to compete due to being deported due to his anti-vaccination stance.
Djokovic could also then draw level with 22 grand slams at the top of the all-time list.
A month after being released from a UK prison, German tennis legend Boris Becker has wasted no time reigniting his feud with Australian firebrand Nick Kyrgios.
The six-time major winner, who was released on December 15 after serving an eight-month sentence for hiding assets and loans to avoid paying debts, questioned whether Kyrgios was telling the truth about the injury that ruled the 27-year-old out of the Australian Open.
The outspoken duo have a history of trading verbal barbs through traditional and social media.
Kyrgios on Monday pulled out of the first grand slam of 2023, explaining he had a cyst growing on his left meniscus and needed arthroscopic knee surgery.
But Becker pointed to Kyrgios’ appearance in a charity exhibition match against Novak Djokovic last Friday night as evidence last year’s Wimbledon runner-up was exaggerating his injury issues.
“It didn’t look that way on Friday night when he (Kyrgios) played two sets against Djokovic,” Becker told Eurosport. “He talked about injuries beforehand, but to the ankle and not to the knee. But what Kyrgios says and what he does are often two different things.
(Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
“Nevertheless, it is of course very bitter to have to pull out of your home grand slam before the first round due to an injury. It’s a pity for all of us.”
Aware of the scepticism around his withdrawal, Kyrgios on Monday posted a graphic photo to social media showing fluid that had been drained out his knee.
“I’m devastated obviously,” Kyrgios told reporters. “It’s like my home tournament. I’ve had some great memories here. Obviously last year winning the title in doubles and playing the best tennis of my life.”
Kyrgios’s scratching was another hammer blow for Open organisers after the draw had already been ravaged by superstar withdrawals and retirements.
Women’s titleholder Ash Barty, seven-times champion Serena Williams, her sister Venus, dual winner Naomi Osaka, world No.1 Carlos Alcaraz and the legendary Roger Federer are all missing.
Alexei Popyrin has credited the electric atmosphere in John Cain Arena and his new-found condition for pulling him through an epic midnight thriller at the Australian Open.
The Melbourne Park specialist lived up to the occasion once again in front of home fans to claim a stirring five-set first-round comeback victory over Taiwanese qualifier Chun-Hsin Tseng.
Stretching four hours and 27 minutes, the match started before 10pm on Tuesday night and finished at two minutes past two on Wednesday morning.
“I honestly couldn’t have done it without you guys. I know it’s a big cliche but honestly, 2am, I’m usually asleep for four hours at this time,” Popyrin told the diehard crowd after eking out a 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 win for the ages.
Alexei Popyrin. (Photo by Mackenzie Sweetnam/Getty Images)
“I’ve never played a match this late, played a match this long, and to have you guys on my back really helped me with that win and really helped me physically go through the match.
“I’m a bit emotional, I feel a couple of tears coming right now. I don’t know why, I think the adrenaline is kicking in. I’m exhausted.”
Popyrin rocketed down 31 aces and clubbed 89 winners but could not shake his long-time former junior rival.
The 23-year-old could only convert two of 14 break points all night.
“I’ve never won a baseline game with him so I knew that wasn’t the way. I had to stay with my game, play big and hope for the best,” Popyrin said.
“That was a physical battle, and a mental battle too. I had to mentally try to stay in the match, having so many break points and only breaking twice.
“That was a physical battle in the end, in that fifth set, and the work that I did in the off-season this year is paying off.”
Popyrin’s reward is a shot at American eighth seed Taylor Fritz on Thursday as the Australian wildcard chases a berth in the third round of his home slam for a third time.
Ash Barty has delighted tennis fans and children with a return to Melbourne Park to launch First Nations Day at the Australian Open.
A year after breaking the country’s near-half-century Australian Open singles title drought, Barty was back – not on Rod Laver Arena but the neighbouring Margaret Court Arena, hitting with the First Nations ballkid squad.
With no top-100-ranked locals in the 2023 Open singles draws, officials would have loved to have had Barty defending her crown.
Alas, the retired champion is blissfully pregnant and awaiting the birth of her first child this year with golfer-husband Garry Kissick.
The 26-year-old former world No.1 was chuffed to be back at the scene of her momentous final triumph over American Danielle Collins 12 months ago.
Barty was joined by her idol and mentor Evonne Goolagong Cawley to launch First Nations Day at Melbourne Park, a celebration of Indigenous art, culture and sport.
“It’s so nice to be back here again,” said Barty, a proud Ngarigo woman. “To see plenty of good kids coming out, kids from all over the country.
“A day like today brings people together and I am happy to be here back on court hitting with yellow fluffy balls. It is few and far between these days.”
Goolagong Cawley, also a former world No.1 and a Wiradjuri woman, famously presented Barty with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup on RLA last year.
Now mentoring Gold Coast prodigy Olivia Gadecki, Barty will no doubt be a keen observer when the 20-year-old wildcard plays Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in the Open’s second round later on Wednesday.
Nine-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic has enjoyed an adoring reception and shrugged off his lingering hamstring injury to mark his hotly-anticipated Melbourne Park return with an aggressive straight-sets victory
Djokovic gradually cranked up the heat in his 6-3 6-4 6-0 first-round win over Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baenain a late-night clash at Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday, despite at times appearing bothered by his tight left hamstring.
But the Serbian great was delighted to report after his post-midnight finish both that his injury was improving and that he’d adored the warmth of the crowd’s reception.
“So much support. So much love. I mean, I could not ask for a better start of the tournament in terms of support, in terms of how I felt on the court,” he said.
Djokovic had heavy strapping on his hamstring, which has troubled him since the Adelaide International 1, and looked proppy at times. But after admitting to feeling tentative to start with, he then turned up the aggression, eventually ripping 41 winners.
“I was kind of testing my leg a little bit. At the beginning I was a bit tight, mentally as well, to protect something that was bothering me last 10 days.
“So it took me a little bit of time to really get into the match and start moving more freely. The great sign was that the longer the match went, the better I felt, the better I moved.
“The leg is good. It’s not ideal, but it’s getting there. Today was a really good test.”
The crowd helped him too. Djokovic had admitted pre-tournament he was nervous about how he would be received in Melbourne in his first competitive match since last year’s deportation dramas.
But eyeing his 10th Melbourne Park crown, he need not have worried about the fans, who erupted when he entered Rod Laver Arena.
“Unbelievable atmosphere, thank you so much for staying this late everybody and also thanks for giving me such a welcoming reception I could only dream of,” he told them.
“I really feel very happy that I’m back in Australia and I’m back on the court where I had the biggest success in my career.
“Definitely this court is the most special in my life … so thanks for your support, I appreciate it.”
Djokovic had to work his way through the opening two sets, which he claimed in 42 and 56 minutes respectively, before reeling through the third in just 24 minutes.
“I’m very, very pleased with the way I played in the third set,” he said.
“I didn’t give him too much of a chance to breathe from back of the court and I served very well.
“Second set was going up and down but credit to him for fighting.”
The fourth seed is back at his favoured slam after last year’s deportation saga, when he had to leave Australia for not being vaccinated against COVID-19, and is eyeing drawing level with Rafael Nadal on 22 majors.
Whether it’s aces or races, try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp for great odds and a great punting experience. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
Alex de Minaur has missed out on the chance of a lifetime to beat Rafael Nadal on clay in successive tournaments, blown away by…
The Spaniard scores first Top 20 win since November 2022, and reversed the result of a few weeks ago where the Australian came out…
Former Wimbledon champion, double grand slam winner and Australian Open finalist Garbine Muguruza has announced her retirement from tennis at the age of 30.…
Rafael Nadal has hailed the brilliance of Alex de Minaur, calling him "a great player" after the Australian forced the Spanish legend to say…
The clay season promises to be one of high level and tight margins. With the Monte Carlo open just around the corner, it will…
In incredible scenes, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz's quarter-final clash with Alexander Zverev at Indian Wells was halted abruptly due to a "bee invasion." Less…
