Rafael Nadal ties Ivan Lendl’s record for the third-most career wins in the Open Era following his victory against Jack Draper at the 2023 Australian Open
Rafael Nadal will be going up against Mackenzie McDonald in the second round of the 2023 Australian Open
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Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal, the 36-year-old Spanish professional, is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time by millions across the globe. With 22 Grand Slam titles to his name, Nadal has certainly earned his place among the all-time greats of the sport. With the 2023 Australian Open underway, the Spaniard has successfully made his way to the second round of the tournament after defeating Jack Draper in the first round.
Nadal faced British professional Jack Draper in the opening fixture of the Australian Open. The Spaniard emerged victorious, as he defeated Draper in four rounds by 7-5. 2-6, 6-4, 6-1. Currently ranked world number 2, Rafael Nadal is one of the biggest favorites to go all the way and win the Australian Open this year.
Following his victory against Draper in the first round, Rafael Nadal has etched his name into history once again as he equals Ivan Lendl’s record for most wins in the Open era. Nadal now has 1,068 career wins, making him the player with the third most wins in the Open Era, alongside Ivan Lendl. Only Roger Federer and Jimmy Connors are ahead of Nadal and Lendl with 1251 and 1274 wins, respectively.
Related: WATCH: Holger Rune gets overwhelmed after being flooded by fans ahead of his Australian Open fixture
Rafael Nadal to face Mackenzie McDonald in the second round of the 2023 Australian Open
36-year-old Rafael Nadal has emerged victorious in his first-round encounter against British professional Jack Draper. After winning the match in four sets, Nadal has his eyes set on the title. The Spaniard will go up against American professional Mackenzie McDonald in the second round of the Australian Open.
Despite being the favorite to go through as he faces McDonald, Nadal did look shaky when he faced Jack Draper in the first round of the tournament. The cramps that Draper suffered during the match helped Nadal a lot in emerging victorious. Both players looked dominant during their serves, and it just went on to show why Jack Draper is regarded as a top young talent in tennis.
Mackenzie McDonald faced compatriot Brandon Nakashima in the first round of the Australian Open in a marathon match that lasted over four hours. This will be the second time that McDonald and Nadal will be going against each other. The first time was at the 2020 French Open, where Nadal emerged victorious in straight sets.
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Akshit Bhatnagar
(316 Articles Published)