Australian Open: Defending champion Rafael Nadal knocked out in second round

Tennis top seed Rafael Nadal’s defence of his Australian Open title has ended in defeat by American Mackenzie McDonald in the second round.

Nadal was knocked out by American world No 65 Mackenzie McDonald 6-4 6-4 7-5.

The top seed was already in trouble at a set and a break down to unseeded McDonald when he crouched down in obvious pain clutching his left hip after chasing out wide for a forehand, according to a Sky News report.

Nadal called for the trainer after limping through the rest of the game and headed off court for treatment.

The last time a top seed (Nadal) was ousted in the second round of the Australian Open was against Gustavo Kuerten in 2001.

A retirement seemed on the cards, with the Spaniard’s wife Maria crying in the stands, but he opted to continue despite limping around the court.

Nadal managed to hold his serve until the 11th game, roared on by fans still believing he could somehow turn things around, but it was a case of when not if McDonald would find a way through and he soon polished off the win.

Nadal later revealed he had come into the match with an issue in his hip that then became significantly worse.

He said: “It has been a couple of days like this, but nothing like today in that movement. We’re going to start talking about that now, but I don’t know what’s going on, if it’s muscle, if it’s joint.

“I have history in the hip. I had to do treatments in the past, address it a little [but there] was not this amount of problem. Now I feel I cannot move.

“I tried until the end. I don’t know if in good conditions I will win the match, I will have better chances without a doubt. But at the end, that’s it. I just tried. It was not possible.”

It was a hugely sad way for Nadal to exit the tournament a year after his near-miraculous run to the title when he feared his career may have been over because of a chronic foot problem, and there must be serious doubt over whether he will play again at Melbourne Park.

He went on to win a 22nd Grand Slam title at the French Open last year but has found the going tough since suffering an abdominal tear and pulling out of Wimbledon ahead of the semi-finals.

Nadal went into a first-round clash with Britain’s Jack Draper having lost six of his previous seven matches and, although he scrapped to a four-set victory, was some way below his best.

The same was true in the early stages against McDonald, a 27-year-old ranked 65th looking for his first victory over a top-five player at a Grand Slam.

The match was played under the roof on Rod Laver Arena on a wet day in Melbourne, and the indoor conditions certainly suited the flat-hitting McDonald.

Nadal, who complained before the tournament about the balls, produced a couple of trademark forehands but there were also too many errors, and more often than not it was he who broke down first in baseline rallies.

Asked why he did not retire, Nadal said: “I didn’t want to retire being defending champion here. Better like this at the end. I lost; nothing to say.”