Rafa Nadal’s wife is in tears as she watches the defending champion crash out of the Australian Open

Rafael Nadal’s wife broke down in tears in the stands as the defending champions battled their way to the Australian Open knockout.

Nadal was unable to defend his crown while battling injury before losing in straight sets to Mackenzie McDonald.

The 22-time Grand Slam winner stopped during his second-round loss against American McDonald and required immediate medical time off on Wednesday.

The top seed was down a set and a break against the 65th-ranked player when he stopped after reaching to make a wide ball.

Rafael Nadal was knocked out of the Australian Open by American Mackenzie McDonald

The Spaniard’s wife was seen wiping tears from her eyes as she watched him crash.

The Spaniard immediately winced and after McDonald held serve to move within 5-3 in the second, Nadal called a medical timeout.

As he walked off the court, his wife, Mery Perelló, was seen wiping tears from her eyes as the rest of his box was shattered by injury as the 22-time Grand Slam winner seemingly nears the end of his glittering career.

However, Nadal returned to the court and picked up his racket to enthusiastic applause from the crowd gathered at Rod Laver Arena.

Nadal won the first game after the restart but shook his head at his important entourage, looking down at every substitution thereafter.

The wife of 22-time Grand Slam champion Mery Perelló (left) watched as the Spaniard struggled on court.

After holding at 5-4, she forced her American opponent to serve for the set, which she did.

However, Nadal was clearly in pain and struggling to run as McDonald wrapped up the biggest victory of his career 6-4, 6-4, 7-5.

Even before the injury, Nadal was rocked by McDonald, who broke serve in the first game of the match.

World number 65 McDonald caused a huge upset at Rod Laver Arena, winning in straight sets

Nadal got frustrated and argued several times with the chair umpire.

The apparent hip problem marks the sixth time in his great career that injury or illness has affected his Australian Open campaign.

He withdrew in the 2010 quarter-final against Andy Murray with a knee injury and was severely hampered by a hamstring strain the following year in a last-round loss to compatriot David Ferrer.

Nadal withdrew from the Open in 2013 with a stomach virus and suffered a back injury in warm-ups before losing the 2014 final to Stan Wawrinka.

Nadal fought with a punch throughout and appeared to injure his left hip during the second set.

The loss will inevitably lead to speculation about how much longer Nadal’s body will want to hold out.

In 2018, the Spanish great withdrew from his quarterfinal against Marin Cilic with a hip problem.

Last year, Nadal finally won a second Australian Open title, 13 years after his first, by coming back from two sets to defeat Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in a classic decider.

Nadal also struggled with injury issues during the 2022 season, having to withdraw from his Wimbledon semifinal matchup against Nick Kyrgios.

He gave up his fight to win the calendar Grand Slam after announcing he was retiring after a 45-minute practice session in July in which he clearly seemed hampered.