Rafael Nadal appeared to defy his team’s orders to retire as he picked up a new injury during his Australian Open second-round loss.
Rafael Nadal explained his decision not to listen to his team and continue the match
Rafael Nadal explained his decision not to listen to his team and continue the match (Image: Getty)
Rafael Nadal has explained why he ignored his team’s orders to retire his Australian Open second-round match to Mackenzie McDonald as his wife was left in tears when he needed an off-court medical time-out. The defending champion suffered a huge upset as he crashed out in the second round 6-4 6-4 7-5 to the world No 65 and has now addressed his decision to defy his camp’s pleas.
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Nadal suffered a fresh injury during his second-round match at the Australian Open, pulling up on his thigh towards the end of the second set and needing physio treatment off the court. The world No 2 had been outplayed by McDonald up until that point and was already a set and break down but his team grew increasingly concerned when he left the court for a medical time-out and urged him to retire.
But the top seed in Melbourne ignored their orders and continued the match, eventually going down in three sets while he appeared to cease all communication with his box during the third set as he chose to play on, while his wife Mery Perello was spotted in tears during his physio treatment. And Nadal has now explained why he opted to continue the match despite considering retiring himself.
“Yeah, I consider all the time stopping, but I didn’t ask the physiotherapist at the end,” he said after the match. “I have to know myself. And I tried to keep playing without increasing the damage. No, that’s it. 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. That’s it.”