Rafael Nadal’s Australian Open quarter-final curse struck again today, an injury forcing the top seed to retire in the fifth set against Croatia’s Marin Cilic.
A wincing Nadal struggled with a muscle strain in his upper right thigh from late in the fourth set before abandoning the match at 3-6 6-3 6-7(5) 6-2 2-0, leaving a packed Rod Laver Arena crushed with disappointment.
It was only the second time the world number one has retired in over 250 grand slam matches, his last, coincidentally, during the 2010 quarter-finals against Andy Murray.
“It’s not the first time here,” an ashen-faced Nadal told reporters.
“I am a positive person … but today is an opportunity lost to be in a semi-finals of a grand slam.”
Of the seven grand slam quarter-final defeats of his career, five have now come on the blue hardcourts at Melbourne Park.
The 16-times grand slam champion said he felt the strain in the third set but was not affected until the fourth when it twinged during a scramble for a drop-shot.
According to Reuters, he signed off his news conference on a sour note, complaining that too many players were getting injuries.
