Defending champion Nadal suffers early exit from Australian Open

ANKARA

Defending champion Rafael Nadal was eliminated from the 2023 Australian Open in the second round on Wednesday, an early exit for the Spanish tennis superstar.

Nadal, the 22-time Grand Slam champion in men’s singles and the 2022 Australian Open winner, lost to his US opponent Mackenzie McDonald with straight sets.

McDonald beat Nadal 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena to send him home early.

Ranked 63rd, McDonald, 27, will face either Czech player Dalibor Svrcina or Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan in the third round.

The Australian Open started on Monday and will run through Jan. 29.