Rafael Nadal creates an unwanted record as the No. 1 seed after his second round exit at the 2023 Australian Open
The Spaniard became the latest member of a club he will be disappointed to be a part of
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Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal is a man now used to breaking records and making history every time he steps foot on the court. But the 22-time Grand Slam champion hit a landmark he definitely would not want to be associated with. Becoming the first top seed since 2003 to get knocked out of the second round or earlier of a Grand Slam makes the loss to Mackenzie McDonald all the more painful.
Nadal is the latest edition to the list, which features some of the best-ever players. It features the likes of Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Boris Becker. The last player to be added to that record is Lleyton Hewitt. The Australian was knocked out of the first round of the 2003 Wimbledon by Ivo Karlovic as the first seed. Nadal has joined these illustrious players on the list.
The Spaniard was disappointing in a 4-6,4-6,7-5 loss to American McDonald. Nadal wasn’t at his best in the first set, losing baseline exchanges with McDonald, who played brilliantly. The story was similar in the second set as Nadal trailed 5-3. But while running for a shot, Nadal pulled up with a strain in his left hip area. The injury was bad enough that he took a medical timeout to get treated.
When he emerged, Nadal was given a big ovation, but the expression on his told spectators how he felt. The grim-faced Spaniard battled on, fighting in the third set but was unable to turn things around. He seemed to accept his limitations when he shook his head at his team seated in the stands as he lost a point.
The 36-year-old’s dreams of defending his Australian Open title have now come to an abrupt end. He will now look to recover in time for the next stage of the tour. Nadal will put all his efforts towards getting fit for his much beloved French Open. But his journey in Australia comes to a disappointing end.
Related: Rafael Nadal may not be competing too long after his exit from the Australian Open
Rafael Nadal’s dismal start to 2023
Nadal has had an abysmal start to the 2023 season. The same things that affected him towards the end of the last season seem to make a difference still. Nadal has been a victim of recurring injuries and has been in poor form.
He started the season representing Spain at the inaugural United Cup in Australia. But he was off his game as he succumbed to two defeats as Spain finished bottom of their table. They were knocked out of the tournament as a result. Nadal lost 6-3,3-6,4-6 to Britain’s Cameron Norrie in the first clash. He was then bested by Australia’s Alex De Minaur 6-3,1-6,5-7, as doubts about his physical condition started to arise.
The second-round exit means Nadal has a 1-3 win-loss record this year. His only win this year is the first-round win over Jack Draper. Nadal will no doubt be looking to get back to the levels fans around the world know he can play at. But the year is long, and the French Open is next. Knowing him, the King of Clay will surely surprise the world again.
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Samarth Srivastava
(139 Articles Published)