Nadal, defending champion, eliminated in the second round

(Melbourne) Clearly in pain in his second-round match, Rafael Nadal saw his Australian Open title defense and bid for a 23^e Grand Slam tournament come to an abrupt end on Wednesday.

In the absence of injured compatriot Carlos Alcaraz, the tournament favorite lost in three sets 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 to American Mackenzie McDonald in the second round.

It wasn’t immediately clear what was bothering the Spaniard, but he awkwardly stopped near the end of a run late in the second set. Returning to his chair during a change of sides, “Rafa” buried his head in his hands and rested his elbows on his knees – he seemed to have lost all hope.

Nadal was visited by a trainer and then left the pitch for a medical time-out. In the stands, his wife was trying to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

He returned to the game, but looked nothing like his usual ball-hunting style. After the meeting, we learned that he would have injured his left hip. The Spaniard then admitted that he was unable to perform backhands properly, let alone run the balls.

” It’s difficult. It’s a difficult day, admitted the 36-year-old tennis player. I would be lying to you if I told you that I am not mentally devastated right now. »

Nadal added, however, that as defending champion he did not want to leave the court after a retirement.

He said his hip had been bothering him for a few days, but never as much as Wednesday. Nadal was unaware of the nature of the injury for the moment, but he added that he would undergo medical examinations to determine if it is an injury to a muscle, a joint or even a cartilage.

“It’s never over until it’s over. He refused to raise the white flag and give up. He fought until the end, even though he was missing part of his game,” said McDonald, a 27-year-old American college circuit champion in singles and doubles with UCLA in 2016.

“I was there in the locker room, said McDonald after the confrontation, and I said to myself: “Hey, this is a very big victory for me, because I had never beaten a player of this caliber. previously.” »

It is Nadal’s earliest Grand Slam exit since his first-round loss in Australia to Fernando Verdasco in 2016.

Rated 65^e world, McDonald has never gone beyond the fourth round in a major tournament. In his only other duel against Nadal, at Roland-Garros in 2020, he had won only four games.

Elsewhere, No. 15 Italian Jannik Sinner defeated Argentinian Tomas Martin Etcheverry in three sets 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 to advance to the third round. American Frances Tiafoe (No. 16) beat China’s Juncheng Shang 6-4, 6-4, 6-1. The Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, third seed, and Daniil Medvedev – who lost in the final to Nadal last year and to Novak Djokovic in 2021 – also continued their journey.

Then, in the early morning, Briton Cameron Norrie, 11^e seed, defeated Frenchman Constant Lestienne 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (2) and 6-3.

Swiatek against Andreescu’s faller

In the evening, 2022 French Open runner-up Coco Gauff defeated 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu 6-3, 7-6(4) in the second round.

“I knew a lot of people were looking forward to this game,” said Gauff, an 18-year-old American. I’m glad I was able to play in prime time. I hope we put on a show that lived up to expectations. »

Meanwhile, favorite Iga Swiatek advanced to the third round of the Australian Open by defeating Colombian Camila Osorio in straight sets 6-2, 6-3 on Wednesday.

In a match played under a closed roof due to rain, the Pole was broken when serving for the match at 5-1, but sealed the tie two games later.

The defending champion of the Roland-Garros tournament and the United States Open will now face the Spaniard of Moldovan origin Cristina Bucsa, who fell for the Canadian Bianca Andreescu.

“I think it was a lot harder than the score indicated,” Swiatek said. It was really intense physically. She didn’t give me many points. »

“It was tough, but I’m glad I was consistent in being proactive,” she added. I’m pretty happy to have won and to be able to play in the next round. »

On the pitch at Margaret Court Arena, Greece’s sixth-seeded Maria Sakkari needed two hours and 33 minutes to defeat 18-year-old qualifier Diana Shnaider.

“It was a very high level of play on our part. I think she played an amazing match, Sakkari explained. She is very young and very promising. Maybe she should consider skipping college and going pro. »

Sakkari triumphed in three sets 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 and she is now waiting for the winner of the duel between Swiss Jil Teichmann (no 32) and China’s Lin Zhu.

American Jessica Pegula (no 6) was tested against Aliaksandra Sasnovich and eventually won 6-2, 7-6 (5).

Pegula served for the game at 5-4 in the second set but was broken before regrouping. She will now cross swords with the Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk or the Australian Olivia Gadecki.

Czech Petra Kvitova (no 15) was upset 7-5, 6-4 by Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina.

Additionally, American Danielle Collins, 13^e seeded, defeated Czech Karolina Muchova 6-7 (1), 6-2, 7-6 (6).