WORLD number one Rafael Nadal retired hurt in the fifth set of an enthralling quarter-final against Marin Cilic at the Australian Open.

The top seed was in visible pain on court and Cilic of Croatia will now face British number two Kyle Edmund in the semi-finals following his 3-6, 6-3, 6-7(5-7), 6-2, 2-0 victory.

It was only the second time in 264 Grand Slam matches that Spaniard Nadal has retired – the last being against Briton Andy Murray in the quarter-finals of the 2010 Australian Open.
Speaking following the match, Nadal said he would provide an update on his injury after an MRI scan today.

“Now is not the moment to say what’s going on or what’s not going on because we really don’t know yet,” said Nadal.
He did, however, repeat his assertion that players are suffering injuries because of the surfaces they play on.

“Somebody who is running the tour should think a little bit about what’s going on,” he said. “Too many people are getting injured.
“I don’t know if they have to think a little bit about the health of the players. Not for now that we are playing, but there is life after tennis.

“I don’t know if we keep playing in these very, very hard surfaces, what’s going to happen in the future with our lives.”
Nadal, 31, had looked in good form early in the match and took the first set 6-3 in a typically forceful manner.

Cilic, however, was a different player in the second, as he channelled his frustration at being given a time violation by breaking back at Nadal with a stunning forehand winner.
The third set was much more evenly contested and went Nadal’s way in a tie-break. (BBC Sport)