Rafael Nadal, the defending champion at the Australian Open, made a shock exit in just the second round of the tournament with a straight sets loss vs 65th ranked player Mackenzie McDonald from United States of America (USA). Nadal lost the match 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 on Wednesday (January 18). With this loss, he has been knocked out of the tournament and his bid for the career's 23rd Grand Slam has also come to close, at least in this edition of the Australian Open. 


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

Also Read | Meet Rafael Nadal's beautiful wife Maria Francisca Perello - IN PICS


One might not know in detail as of now but something was bothering the former World no 1 player. He was in some trouble and a hip injury seems to be the problem. During the match, Nadal was visited by a medical help and when he returned, he was not looking at his best. Not to forget, Nadal has had his stuggles with injury, with the hip, knee and back causing major problems for him throughout his career, but especially in the last 3 years. 


This is Nadal's earliest ouster from the Australian Open since his first-round shock exit at the 2016 edition. 


As Nadal struggled with the injury, his wife Maria Francisca Perello wiped tears off her eyes and his team was looking quite upset with the visuals in the court. The video of Nadal's wife wiping her tears off and then sporting a forced smile went viral on the internet instantly. 


Watch Nadal's wife cry after he crashed out of Australian Open 2023 amid injury scare:



One does not know about the immediate future of the Spain legend. Many are expecting him to call it quits now, that he won't return to the Australian Open. But at the start of the Grand Slam season he was asked the same question and he shut out the retirement noise again, telling journalists that they think about his retirement more than him.