Defending champion Rafael Nadal crashed out of the Australian Open 2023 on Wednesday, suffering a 4-6, 4-6, 5-7 straight sets defeat at a deathly silent Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne Park.&nbsp;

Nadal was far from his best as he suffered what seemed like a possible hip injury, forcing him to take a conservative approach throughout the match. The Spaniard's body language was a dead giveaway that he was not feeling up to the task.&nbsp;

This was the worst result for Nadal at the majors in the last seven years. He had been knocked out of the first round of the Australian Open in 2016 as well.&nbsp;

Though Nadal was not at his pristine best, McDonald did his homework and came off the blocks in a quick manner. He kept Nadal on the backfoot and never allowed the 22-time Grand Slam winner to ease into the match.&nbsp;

"He's an incredible champion, he's never going to give up regardless of the situation. I was trying to stay focused on what I was trying to do and he kind of got me out of my rhythm, and I just got through it," said&nbsp;McDonald in the post-match interview.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/will-2023-australian-open-be-rafael-nadals-last-appearance-in-melbourne-spaniard-reveals-547330">Read more:&nbsp;Will 2023 Australian Open be Rafael Nadal's last at Melbourne Park? Spaniard reveals</a>

In the first set, Nadal was way off his pace as he only made 65 per cent of his first serves. The American cleverly navigated around Nadal's heavy forehand shots and kept his nose ahead in the opening exchanges.&nbsp;

Behind the eight-ball curve,&nbsp;Nadal took a medical time-out when trailing 6-4, 5-3 to patch himself up and give one final push. The physios tried their best but the&nbsp;body language of the 36-year-old&nbsp;gave it away that he wasn't going to be able to conjure another one of his famed comebacks.

The usual fistbumps and the elaborate pre-serve routine were missing as Nadal looked a pale shadow of his imperious best.&nbsp;

Braving the pain, a stone-faced Nadal managed to give something to the desperate crowd in the third set. He pushed and held his serve till 5-4. However, the errors crept in again and McDonald seized on the opportunity and made the two-time Australian Open champion pay.&nbsp;

Nadal's defeat allows his compatriot Novak Djokovic a chance to get level on the number of Grand Slams won. The Serbian currently has 21 majors under his belt and will be attempting to go the distance after his most fierce rival over the years has bowed out.&nbsp;

The defeat also means that Nadal will tumble in the world rankings to no. 6. If this was his last hurrah at the opening Grand Slam of the year, it was rather anti-climactic, to say the least.&nbsp;

As for MacDonald, he will be a relieved man after securing the biggest win of his career so far. He will take on the winner of Dalibor Svrcina vs Yoshito Nishioka in the third round.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Defending champion Rafael Nadal crashed out of the Australian Open 2023 on Wednesday, suffering a 4-6, 4-6, 5-7 straight sets defeat at a deathly silent Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne Park.

Defending champion Rafael Nadal crashed out of the Australian Open 2023 on Wednesday, suffering a 4-6, 4-6, 5-7 straight sets defeat at a deathly silent Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne Park. Nadal was far from his best as he suffered what seemed like a possible hip injury, forcing him to take a conservative approach throughout the match. The Spaniard's body language was a dead giveaway that he was not feeling up to the task. This was the worst result for Nadal at the majors in the last seven years. He had been knocked out of the first round of the Australian Open in 2016 as well. Though Nadal was not at his pristine best, McDonald did his homework and came off the blocks in a quick manner. He kept Nadal on the backfoot and never allowed the 22-time Grand Slam winner to ease into the match. "He's an incredible champion, he's never going to give up regardless of the situation. I was trying to stay focused on what I was trying to do and he kind of got me out of my rhythm, and I just got through it," said McDonald in the post-match interview. Read more: Will 2023 Australian Open be Rafael Nadal's last at Melbourne Park? Spaniard reveals In the first set, Nadal was way off his pace as he only made 65 per cent of his first serves. The American cleverly navigated around Nadal's heavy forehand shots and kept his nose ahead in the opening exchanges. Behind the eight-ball curve, Nadal took a medical time-out when trailing 6-4, 5-3 to patch himself up and give one final push. The physios tried their best but the body language of the 36-year-old gave it away that he wasn't going to be able to conjure another one of his famed comebacks. The usual fistbumps and the elaborate pre-serve routine were missing as Nadal looked a pale shadow of his imperious best. Braving the pain, a stone-faced Nadal managed to give something to the desperate crowd in the third set. He pushed and held his serve till 5-4. However, the errors crept in again and McDonald seized on the opportunity and made the two-time Australian Open champion pay. Nadal's defeat allows his compatriot Novak Djokovic a chance to get level on the number of Grand Slams won. The Serbian currently has 21 majors under his belt and will be attempting to go the distance after his most fierce rival over the years has bowed out. The defeat also means that Nadal will tumble in the world rankings to no. 6. If this was his last hurrah at the opening Grand Slam of the year, it was rather anti-climactic, to say the least. As for MacDonald, he will be a relieved man after securing the biggest win of his career so far. He will take on the winner of Dalibor Svrcina vs Yoshito Nishioka in the third round. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Australian Open: Defending champion Rafael Nadal crashes out in straight sets

Nick Kyrgios of Australia used three sets to defeat American Mackenzie McDonald 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 Tuesday in the first round of the Fayez Sarofim &amp; Co. U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship in Houston.

Playing as a wild card, Kyrgios earned his first win on clay since 2019. He most recently made a stellar run at the Miami Open but was fined $35,000 for unsportsmanlike behavior during his Round of 16 defeat.

American wild card J.J. Wolf knocked off countryman and eighth seed Jenson Brooksby 6-4, 6-4. Wolf dialed up four aces and won three of six break-point opportunities against Brooksby.

Chilean fifth seed Cristian Garin came back to beat American wild-card entrant Jack Sock 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, while sixth-seeded Frances Tiafoe defeated U.S. countryman Marcos Giron 6-4, 6-4.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/planning-to-play-the-masters-says-star-golfer-tiger-woods-after-car-crash-468698">Planning to play the Masters, says star golfer Tiger Woods after car crash</a>

No. 7 seed Tommy Paul of the United States won when German opponent Peter Gojowczyk retired in the third set. Other winners Tuesday included Dutch qualifier Gijs Brouwer, Australia's Jordan Thompson, Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas, Chile's Alejandro Tabilo and Americans Steve Johnson, Sam Querrey and qualifier Mitchell Krueger.

Grand Prix Hassan II

No. 2 seed Daniel Evans, No. 4 seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas, No. 5 seed Federico Delbonis and No. 7 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina all lost on the opening day at Marrakech, Morocco.

Spain's Pablo Andujar upset Great Britain`s Evans 6-4, 6-2, despite Evans saving 12 of 17 breakpoints.

Italian Lorenzo Musetti took down Spaniard Ramos-Vinolas 7-6 (5), 6-1.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fih-junior-world-cup-mumtaz-khans-hat-trick-powers-india-to-emphatic-4-0-win-over-malaysia-face-korea-in-qf-468684">FIH Junior World Cup: Mumtaz Khan's hat-trick powers India to emphatic 4-0 win over Malaysia, face Korea in QF</a>

Portugal's Joao Sousa beat Delbonis 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 in two hours, 28 minutes, and Argentina's Federico Coria beat Spniard Davidovich 7-5, 3-6, 6-4.

Canadian top seed Felix Auger-Aliassime escaped the carnage and posted a 6-3, 6-3 win over Moroccan wild card Elliot Benchetrit.

Auger-Aliassime, ranked ninth in the world, hit six aces and saved all six break points he faced.

Other winners Tuesday included Dutch sixth seed Botic van de Zandschulp, Serbian eighth seed Laslo Djere, Spain's Robert Carballes Baena and Carlos Taberner, France's Richard Gasquet, Slovakia`s Alex Molcan and Tunisia's Malek Jaziri.

Nick Kyrgios of Australia used three sets to defeat American Mackenzie McDonald 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 Tuesday in the first round of the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship in Houston.

Nick Kyrgios of Australia used three sets to defeat American Mackenzie McDonald 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 Tuesday in the first round of the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship in Houston. Playing as a wild card, Kyrgios earned his first win on clay since 2019. He most recently made a stellar run at the Miami Open but was fined $35,000 for unsportsmanlike behavior during his Round of 16 defeat. American wild card J.J. Wolf knocked off countryman and eighth seed Jenson Brooksby 6-4, 6-4. Wolf dialed up four aces and won three of six break-point opportunities against Brooksby. Chilean fifth seed Cristian Garin came back to beat American wild-card entrant Jack Sock 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, while sixth-seeded Frances Tiafoe defeated U.S. countryman Marcos Giron 6-4, 6-4. ALSO READ: Planning to play the Masters, says star golfer Tiger Woods after car crash No. 7 seed Tommy Paul of the United States won when German opponent Peter Gojowczyk retired in the third set. Other winners Tuesday included Dutch qualifier Gijs Brouwer, Australia's Jordan Thompson, Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas, Chile's Alejandro Tabilo and Americans Steve Johnson, Sam Querrey and qualifier Mitchell Krueger. Grand Prix Hassan II No. 2 seed Daniel Evans, No. 4 seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas, No. 5 seed Federico Delbonis and No. 7 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina all lost on the opening day at Marrakech, Morocco. Spain's Pablo Andujar upset Great Britain`s Evans 6-4, 6-2, despite Evans saving 12 of 17 breakpoints. Italian Lorenzo Musetti took down Spaniard Ramos-Vinolas 7-6 (5), 6-1. ALSO READ: FIH Junior World Cup: Mumtaz Khan's hat-trick powers India to emphatic 4-0 win over Malaysia, face Korea in QF Portugal's Joao Sousa beat Delbonis 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 in two hours, 28 minutes, and Argentina's Federico Coria beat Spniard Davidovich 7-5, 3-6, 6-4. Canadian top seed Felix Auger-Aliassime escaped the carnage and posted a 6-3, 6-3 win over Moroccan wild card Elliot Benchetrit. Auger-Aliassime, ranked ninth in the world, hit six aces and saved all six break points he faced. Other winners Tuesday included Dutch sixth seed Botic van de Zandschulp, Serbian eighth seed Laslo Djere, Spain's Robert Carballes Baena and Carlos Taberner, France's Richard Gasquet, Slovakia`s Alex Molcan and Tunisia's Malek Jaziri.

Nick Kyrgios defeats Mackenzie McDonald in opening round of U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship in Houston

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Australian Open: Defending champion Rafael Nadal crashes out in straight sets

Nick Kyrgios defeats Mackenzie McDonald in opening round of U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship in Houston