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Ammon News - Defending champion Rafael Nadal was sent crashing out of the Australian Open in the second round on Wednesday after falling to a straight-sets defeat to American Mackenzie McDonald.

Nadal, who won his second Australian Open title last year, was way off his best inside Rod Laver Arena and appeared to be hampered by physical issues as the match wore on as world No 65 McDonald claimed the biggest win of his career with a 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 victory.

Nadal appeared to suffer a strain in his left hip area while running for a backhand in the second set and after attention from a trainer, took an off-court medical time-out when trailing 6-4 5-3.

As the Spaniard so frequently does, he battled on until the end but the only break of serve in the third set gave McDonald the opportunity to serve out the match, which he did with relative ease.