Rafael Nadal's last injury "destroyed" his mental state.

 

Rafael Nadal's last injury "destroyed" his mental state.

Rafael Nadal, who was knocked out of the Australian Open in the second round on Wednesday after suffering a hip injury, claimed he was "destroyed mentally" following the loss.

Despite his most recent injury setback, the 36-year-old defending champion said he loved tennis and hoped to continue.

Despite continuing to fight, the Spanish great lost 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 against American Mackenzie McDonald in the second set after hurting himself while extending for a shot.

His second-round exit marked his first Grand Slam loss since 2016, which came in that same year.

Greatest seed Nadal said that he had been experiencing hip pain for "a couple of days," but he wasn't certain if it was a muscle or joint issue.

The 22-time Grand Slam winner stated, "There are times when it's frustrating, when it's hard to accept, and when you just feel super-tired about all this stuff in terms of injuries.

"Right now is a difficult time. You must acknowledge that it has been a difficult day and press on. I can't really complain about my life at all, you know.

"I just can't tell that I'm not mentally shattered right now because that would be a lie. I find it challenging. But let's check to make sure it's not too awful.

Physical limitations have frequently plagued the famous career of the Spaniard, and 2022 promises to be another unpredictable year.

After winning the Australian Open, he sustained a stress fracture of the ribs in March, and daily injections of anaesthetic into his left foot kept him from losing until he won the French Open for the 14th time in June.

Then an abdominal injury derailed his attempt to win a third Wimbledon title.

When asked why he persisted, Nadal said: "It's really simple: I enjoy what I do. Tennis is a sport I enjoy. I am aware that it is temporary.

"I enjoy feeling competitive. I enjoy standing up for the causes I have championed for the most, if not all, of my life. The end of that. It's not that difficult to comprehend.

He noted, however, that as he became older, it became more difficult to manage not only injuries, but also the healing process and the subsequent process of recovering fitness to compete at the level he expected.

He admitted that the past seven months had been difficult once more.

Really, I have no idea what the future may bring. But going forward, I'll need to spend less time away from [the sport].

Because it's challenging if you don't.

I'll try to keep to the schedule and see if I can," he said. Let's evaluate the state of the wound.