Nadal’s painful exit raises questions about future
DEFENDING CHAMPION BEATEN BY MCDONALD IN THE SECOND ROUND
Rafael Nadal made history at the Australian Open a year ago when he won a then-record 21st Grand Slam crown, but his dispiriting defeat yesterday raises fresh questions about how much longer the ailing Spaniard can keep going.
Nadal’s wife Mery was in tears at Rod Laver Arena as her injuryhampered husband succumbed 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 to 65th-ranked Mackenzie McDonald of the United States.
Nadal hobbled out of the arena, his hip sore and his title defence over after just two matches.
So what now for one of the best men’s tennis players of all time?
Fixing his hip
In the short term, 36-year-old Nadal needs to diagnose and fix his hip.
In the aftermath of his physically and emotionally painful defeat, Nadal said he had had the problem for “a couple of days” but did not know what the issue was.
“I don’t know what’s going on, if it’s muscle, if it’s joint,” the deflated Spaniard told reporters.
“I have history in the hip that I had issues. I had to do treatments in the past, address a little. Was not this amount of problem. “Now I feel I cannot move.” As far as Nadal is concerned, the future beyond that is clearer — he says that he intends to carry on playing.
“From here on, I guess when things move forward, the right decisions will be made because what I want is to continue playing tennis,” he said.
“Don’t think I’m saying all this because I want to take a step back. It is not the case, but my current feelings are bad.”
Swiatek progresses
Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek, hot favourite for the women’s title swept into the third round.
World number one Swiatek overcame Camila Osorio 6-2 6-3 under the roof on Rod Laver Arena.