The top seed, Rafael Nadal, was defeated in straight sets by American Mackenzie McDonald, who is ranked No. 65 in the world, to exit the Australian Open (6-4, 6-4, 7-5).
The top seed crouched down in obvious pain, clutching his left hip, after attempting a forehand that went too wide. He was already down a set and a break to the unseeded McDonald.
Nadal called for the trainer and departed the court for treatment after limping through the remainder of the game.
Nadal was the last top seed to lose in the second round of the Australian Open, falling to Gustavo Kuerten in 2001.
He continued to play despite his limp, even as the audience saw the Spaniard's wife, Maria, sob.
McDonald eventually broke through, and he did so fast, serving out the match. Nadal maintained his serve until the 11th game, with the audience still hoping for a comeback.
Nadal said that he had hip discomfort during the match and that it grew worse throughout.
He declared, “It has been a couple of days like this, but nothing like today in that movement. We’ll start talking about that now, but I don’t know what’s happening if it’s muscle or joint.
“I have a history in the hip. I had to do treatments in the past, address it a little [but there] was not this amount of problem. Now I feel I cannot move.
“I tried until the end. I don’t know if in good conditions I will win the match, but I will have a better chance without a doubt. But in the end, that’s it. I just tried. It was not possible.”
Late in the second set against McDonald, who is ranked 65th, Nadal pulled up awkwardly after a point.
The 36-year-old continued, “In terms of sports and in terms of injuries and tough moments, that’s another one. I just can’t say that I am not destroyed mentally at this time, because I will be lying.”