Rafael Nadal acknowledges the spectators after the men's singles second round match against Mackenzie McDonald of the United States at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 18, 2023. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei)
Top seed Rafael Nadal was shocked by unseeded Mackenzie McDonald in Australian Open second round.
MELBOURNE, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Defending champion and top seed Rafael Nadal crashed out of the Australian Open on Wednesday after going down 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 to unseeded Mackenzie McDonald in the second round.
The two players had one head-to-head previously - in the second round of the French Open last year with Nadal emerging victorious 6-1, 6-3, 6-3.
Last time the 36-year-old Spaniard bowed out at such an early stage was at the 2016 Australian Open, where he suffered a narrow 7-6(6), 4-6, 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-2 loss to his compatriot Fernando Verdasco in the opening round.■
