Top seed Rafael Nadal saw his Australian Open defence come to an early end after being knocked out by American world No 65 Mackenzie McDonald 6-4 6-4 7-5.
The top seed was already in trouble at a set and a break down to unseeded McDonald when he crouched down in obvious pain clutching his left hip after chasing out wide for a forehand.
Nadal called for the trainer after limping through the rest of the game and headed off court for treatment.
A retirement seemed on the cards, with the Spaniard’s wife Maria crying in the stands, but he opted to continue despite limping around the court.
Nadal managed to hold his serve until the 11th game, roared on by fans still believing he could somehow turn things around, but it was a case of when not if McDonald would find a way through and he soon polished off the win.
Nadal revealed he had come into the match with an issue in his hip that then became significantly worse.
He said: “It has been a couple of days like this, but nothing like today in that movement. We’re going to start talking about that now, but I don’t know what’s going on, if it’s muscle, if it’s joint.
“I have history in the hip. I had to do treatments in the past, address it a little [but there] was not this amount of problem. Now I feel I cannot move.
“I tried until the end. I don’t know if in good conditions I will win the match, I will have better chances without a doubt. But at the end, that’s it. I just tried. It was not possible.”
The 36-year-old added: “In terms of sports and in terms of injuries and tough moments, that’s another one. I just can’t say that I am not destroyed mentally at this time, because I will be lying.
“Hopefully it’s nothing too bad. In the end it has been three positive weeks in terms of practice. So I really hope that this doesn’t put me out of the court for a long time, because then it’s tough to make all the recovery again.
“I went through this process too many times in my career and I am ready to keep doing it, I think, but that’s not easy, without a doubt.”
It was a hugely sad way for Nadal to exit the tournament a year after his near-miraculous run to the title when he feared his career may have been over because of a chronic foot problem, and there must be serious doubt over whether he will play again at Melbourne Park.
He went on to win a 22nd Grand Slam title at the French Open last year but has found the going tough since suffering an abdominal tear and pulling out of Wimbledon ahead of the semi-finals.
Nadal went into a first-round clash with Britain’s Jack Draper having lost six of his previous seven matches and, although he scrapped to a four-set victory, was some way below his best.
The same was true in the early stages against McDonald, a 27-year-old ranked 65th looking for his first victory over a top-five player at a Grand Slam.
“I just can’t say that I am not destroyed mentally at this time, because I will be lying”
The match was played under the roof on Rod Laver Arena on a wet day in Melbourne, and the indoor conditions certainly suited the flat-hitting McDonald.
He caught Nadal cold and broke the Spaniard twice to lead 4-1 before the top seed dug in and made a fight of the opening set.
Nadal, who complained before the tournament about the balls, produced a couple of trademark forehands but there were also too many errors, and more often than not it was he who broke down first in baseline rallies.
Nadal created one break point with McDonald serving for the set only to hit the roof with a mis-hit, and he did not get another opportunity.
McDonald, who battled past his compatriot Brandon Nakashima in five sets in the first round, broke serve again at the start of the second.
Nadal looked like he might have turned things around when he reeled off three games in a row but McDonald broke through again in the seventh game, and it was moments later that injury struck.
Asked why he did not retire, Nadal said: “I was not able to hit the backhand at all. I was not able to run for the ball. But I just wanted to finish the match.
“I didn’t want to retire being defending champion here. Better like this at the end. I lost. Nothing to say. Congratulate the opponent.”
McDonald paid tribute to Nadal, saying: “He’s an incredible champion, he’s never going to give up regardless of the situation so even closing it out against a top guy like that is always tough.
“I was trying to stay so focused on what I was doing and he kind of got me out of that with what he was doing. But I kind of just kept focusing on myself and got through.
“Last time I played him was at Chatrier, he kicked my butt,” said McDonald, who took only four games off Nadal in the second round of the French Open in 2020.
“It’s tough to hit through on clay but I liked my chances on hard, I really wanted to take it to him on hard court. I’m really glad I got my chance and got away with it.”
