Defending Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal lost in straight sets to unranked American MacKenzie McDonald in the second round on Wednesday, leaving fans curious what this means for the Spaniard’s future.
Nadal appeared hurt in the second set as he was visited by a trainer and then used a medical timeout. It was later discovered to be a hip injury, but the 22-time Grand Slam champion was adamant about not retiring early from the match, so he continued to battle.
When he fell short to McDonald, the 36-year-old admitted that he was “sad” and “tired.” He appeared more positive on social media, though, when he posted a thankful message on Instagram.
