Rafael Nadal, the defending Australian Open champion, suffered a hip injury in the second round against American Mackenzie McDonald.
with only one fewer major title. “I can’t say that I am not destroyed mentally this time [from all the injuries], because I would be lying,” Nadal said.Coming into the Australian Open, the year’s first Grand Slam event, Nadal had lost six of his previous seven matches, and he is vulnerable to youngsters who have not yet absorbed the battering he has from his physical style of play. Nadal’s injury history has made his future in the sport a question he preferred not to immediately address.
Nadal’s next opportunity for his 23rd major will come in late May and early June on the French Open’s clay courts,“At the end, you need to keep going,” he said. “Sometimes it’s frustrating. Sometimes it’s difficult to accept. Sometimes you feel super tired about all this stuff in terms of injuries. ... It’s hard for me. But let’s see. Hopefully is nothing too bad. In the end, have been three positive weeks in terms of practice.
“So I really hope that that don’t put me out of the court for a long time, because then it’s tough to make all the recovery again, all the amount of work that you need to put together to come back at a decent level.” Recovery is a process he has gone through “too many times,” but he expressed his motivation to continue to play even as he edges closer to“It’s a very simple thing: I like what I do. I like playing tennis,” he said. “I know it’s not forever. I like to feel myself competitive. I like to fight for the things that I have been fighting for almost half of my life or even more.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Australian Open prediction: Rafael Nadal vs. MacKenzie McDonald odds, pickRafael Nadal and Mackenzie McDonald will match up during Round 2 of the Australian Open at 10 p.m. ET.
Read more »
Top-seeded Rafael Nadal ousted by Mackenzie McDonald in second round of Australian OpenA clearly hurting Rafael Nadal - the No. 1 seed and defending tournament champion - lost his second-round match at the Australian Open to Mackenzie McDonald.
Read more »
Banged-up Rafael Nadal ousted from Australian OpenA clearly hurting Rafael Nadal lost his second-round match at the Australian Open to Mackenzie McDonald 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 on Wednesday.
Read more »
Top-seeded Rafael Nadal ousted by Mackenzie McDonald in second round of Australian OpenA clearly hurting Rafael Nadal lost his second-round match at the Australian Open to Mackenzie McDonald 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 on Wednesday, abruptly ending his title defense and bid for a record-extending 23rd Grand Slam trophy.
Read more »
Rafael Nadal on bizarre moment during Australian Open: 'The ball boy took my racket’22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal became visibly rattled when a ball boy appeared to run away with his racquet during the Australian Open.
Read more »
Injury-hit Rafael Nadal knocked out of the Australian Open by Mackenzie McDonald | CNNRafael Nadal's Australian Open title defense came to a premature end on Wednesday as he lost 4-6 4-6 5-7 against American Mackenzie McDonald in the second round.
Read more »