The Spanish tennis player Rafa Nadal said after Wednesday’s defeat in the second round of the Australian Open in three sets (6-4, 6-4, 7-5) against the American Mackenzie McDonald, after playing injured since the end of the second, that he leaves «tired, sad and disappointed» of a tournament in which he defended his crown.
«I can’t complain about my life at all. But just in terms of sport and injuries and difficult moments, it’s another thing. I can’t say I’m not mentally shattered at the moment, because I’d be lying,» he admitted at a press conference.
Nadal, with this defeat as a result of playing physically depleted, is eliminated in an Australian Open, the first ‘Grand Slam’ of the 2023 season, in which he defended his title. After seeking medical attention, he wanted to continue until the end and gave up the match without retiring, although it was visible that he could not play at one hundred percent.
«Sometimes it’s frustrating. Sometimes it’s hard to accept. Sometimes you feel very tired because of all this injury stuff. Don’t think I want to take a step back, that’s not the case, but my current feelings are bad,» explained the Spaniard.
At 36 years of age (he will be 37 in June), the Spaniard spoke about the fact that he has had physical ailments in his last Grand Slams. In this one, in the hip. «It’s obvious. In the last three ‘Grand Slams’ I have not been able to finish any of them in good condition: two abdominal ruptures, here I don’t know what happens in the hip,» he recalled.
«We can come here, put on a good face, which I do, and accept things. Which I also do. But one does not have to deceive oneself and make an optimistic speech when it is not so today, «said the 22-time champion of a ‘Grand Slam’.
In this sense, he acknowledged that it was a «difficult» moment for him. «But let’s see, hopefully it’s nothing bad. I really hope that doesn’t take me off the court for a long time, because then it’s hard to recover again, all the amount of work you need to do to get back to a decent level,» he argued.
About the match, he explained that he tried to keep playing but «without increasing the damage». «I just wanted to finish the match. I didn’t want to retire, being defending champion here. Better this way in the end. I lost. I congratulate the opponent,» added Nadal, who left the court to a standing ovation from the crowd.
On the other hand, on the positive side, he acknowledged that this Australian tour has been good for him in other aspects. «I needed to spend days on the circuit. These three weeks have been positive, I think at least I have been able to recover many things in terms of mobility and competitiveness,» he said.
It was the manacorí himself who explained that he will have to undergo a medical MRI to know the extent of the possible hip injury. For the moment, the next tournament in which he should play is Doha, and then go to Dubai.
«There is nothing left but to wait, accept things as they come and then follow the (medical) indications. Do things in the best possible way and try to be ready for when I can play again,» he concluded.
SOURCE: (EUROPA PRESS)
