Rafael Nadal has bowed out of the 2023 Australian Open after suffering a second-round defeat by American Mackenzie McDonald. Defending champion Nadal struggled with an injury as he suffered a heartbreaking exit.
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Nadal strugglingwith form
Nadal was far from his best coming into the tournament. He lost seven of his last nine competitive matches, and there were major concerns regarding his fitness after an abdomen injury that troubled him last year.
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Earliest exit forNadal since 2016
Nadal lost 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 in the second round. He suffered a defeat in two hours and 32 minutes. It is the earliest exit at a major for Nadal since he lost in the first round in 2016.