• Rafael Nadal and Mackenzie McDonald greet at the net following their second round match at the Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia on January 18, 2023. AP
    Rafael Nadal and Mackenzie McDonald greet at the net following their second round match at the Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia on January 18, 2023. AP
  • Rafael Nadal sits in his chair between changeovers during his second round match against Mackenzie McDonald. AP
    Rafael Nadal sits in his chair between changeovers during his second round match against Mackenzie McDonald. AP
  • Rafael Nadal applauds the fans after defeat to Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open. AFP
    Rafael Nadal applauds the fans after defeat to Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open. AFP
  • Rafael Nadal leaves the court after defeat to Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open. AFP
    Rafael Nadal leaves the court after defeat to Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open. AFP
  • Rafael Nadal bends over injured during his match against Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open. EPA
    Rafael Nadal bends over injured during his match against Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open. EPA
  • Rafael Nadal medical treatment during his match against Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open. EPA
    Rafael Nadal medical treatment during his match against Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Open. EPA
  • Rafael Nadal during his second round loss to Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Ope. AP
    Rafael Nadal during his second round loss to Mackenzie McDonald at the Australian Ope. AP
  • Mackenzie McDonald celebrates winning a point against Rafael Nadal. AFP
    Mackenzie McDonald celebrates winning a point against Rafael Nadal. AFP
  • Mackenzie Mcdonald plays a forehand to Rafael Nadal. Reuters
    Mackenzie Mcdonald plays a forehand to Rafael Nadal. Reuters
  • Rafael Nadal plays a backhand volley to Mackenzie McDonald. EPA
    Rafael Nadal plays a backhand volley to Mackenzie McDonald. EPA
  • Rafael Nadal receives medical attention after sustaining an injury during his second round match against Mackenzie Mcdonald. Reuters
    Rafael Nadal receives medical attention after sustaining an injury during his second round match against Mackenzie Mcdonald. Reuters
  • Rafael Nadal walks back onto the court after medial time out during his second round match against Mackenzie McDonald. AP
    Rafael Nadal walks back onto the court after medial time out during his second round match against Mackenzie McDonald. AP
  • Rafael Nadal walks off the court to receive medical attention after sustaining an injury. Reuters
    Rafael Nadal walks off the court to receive medical attention after sustaining an injury. Reuters
  • Mackenzie McDonald hits a return against Rafael Nadal. AFP
    Mackenzie McDonald hits a return against Rafael Nadal. AFP

Rafael Nadal 'destroyed mentally' after Australian Open exit but vows to 'keep fighting'


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It was a sight that, sadly, has been far too frequent throughout Rafael Nadal's incomparable career.

Granted, the Spaniard had started slowly in the second round of his Australian Open title defence against American Mackenzie McDonald, where he found himself a set and a break down in the second.

But any chance of a Nadal fightback were extinguished by one sudden movement: while running for a backhand, the top seed tweaked his left hip, and after inspection from a trainer when trailing 6-4, 5-3, Nadal went off court for a medical time-out.

From there, Nadal was practically immobile and barely able to hit his backhand, but he continued to battle on in trademark fashion before succumbing to a 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 defeat to world No 65 McDonald.

It was the Spaniard's earliest exit from a major in seven years and will lead to more questions about whether his long list of injury problems are catching up with him. His 2021 and 2022 seasons were severely affected by a long-term foot injury, before an abdominal tear at Wimbledon last year led to another six-week layoff. In all, Nadal has missed 11 Grand Slams throughout his career because of injury.

Yet, while the chatter about Nadal's future is sure to resurface, the record 22-time Grand Slam champion insisted he will fight on, despite admitting the setback has left him "destroyed mentally".

"Now is not the right moment to have something like this [injury], but in the end you have to keep going," Nadal, 36, said. "It's sometimes frustrating and difficult to accept. Sometimes you feel super tired about all this stuff in terms of injuries.

"I can't come here and lie and say life is fantastic and that I'm staying positive. Not now, but tomorrow starts another day, now it's a tough moment, a tough day. You need to accept that, and keep going.

"In the end, I can't complain about my life at all. In terms of sport and injuries and tough moments, that's another one. I can't say that I'm not destroyed mentally at this time because I would be lying.

"Let's see, hopefully it's not too bad. I had three positive weeks in terms of practice, so I really hope it doesn't put me out of the court for a long time because then its tough to make the recovery again and the amount of work to come back at a decent level. I went through this process too many times in my career. I'm ready to keep doing this, I think, but it's not easy without a doubt."

Upon arriving in Australia, Nadal almost immediately fielded questions about his possible retirement, to which he curtly responded that he would make the announcement himself when the time comes.

Inevitably, the Spaniard was asked why he continues to put himself through the disappointment of injury and the subsequent grind of recovery, when he has achieved so much in his career, and his answer was decidedly simple.

"I like what I do. I like playing tennis, I know it's not forever," he said. "I like to be competitive. And that's it. It's not too complicated to understand. When you like to do one thing, in the end sacrifice always makes sense. When you do things you like to do, it's not sacrifice; sacrifice is doing thing you don't want to do – that is not my case."

Nadal did admit, though, that if the hip injury proved to be another long-term problem, it would become increasingly difficult to return to the top level.

"It is tiring, I'm frustrated to spend a lot of my tennis career in the recovery process but I've accepted it and I've been able to manage it well," he said. "But the last seven months have been a tough period. I don't know what happens in the future but I need to avoid another long period of time [away] because then it's tough.

"To be away for seven months playing almost nothing and then if I have to spend a long time again [not playing] its super difficult to find a rhythm, be competitive and be ready to fight for the things I want to fight for. Let's see how the injury is and then let's see how I can follow the calendar."

THE APPRENTICE

Director: Ali Abbasi

Starring: Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova, Jeremy Strong

Rating: 3/5

Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

Company%20profile
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Marital status: Single

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule

1st Test July 26-30 in Galle

2nd Test August 3-7 in Colombo

3rd Test August 12-16 in Pallekele

The specs

Engine: 5.0-litre V8

Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm

Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: L/100km

Price: Dh306,495

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Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage

Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid 

Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani

Rating: 4/5

Updated: January 18, 2023, 10:53 AM