RAFA NADAL was left bloodied, bruised and dazed after hitting his nose with his own tennis racket.
In a strange turn of events, the 36-year-old Spaniard was taking a routine swing when his racket bounced off the US Open hard court and then hit his buzzer by mistake.
It left an open wound on the bridge of his nose and he immediately stopped playing as he was in so much pain from the self-inflicted wound.
A physio immediately entered the court and treated the bleeding cut as the 22-time Slam champion lay on the ground next to his chair.
The incident occurred during the fourth game of the fourth set in his second round clash with Italy's Fabio Fognini.
The Spaniard then took to Instagram at 1:35 a.m. local time to post a photo of himself showing off his plastered nose.
But he assured fans there was no lasting damage as he wrote: "All good."
In the third round, Nadal now faces France's Richard Gasquet, against whom he is on a 17-match unbeaten streak.
Nadal said: "I'm fine now. Well, I was a bit dizzy at the beginning. A bit painful.
"It's happened before with a golf club, not a tennis racket!
“I tried to feel myself on the court, I put some balls in, I tried to be in the game because for more than an hour and a half I was not competing.
"Probably one of the worst starts ever. But that's part of the game."
"You have to be humble, accept situations, it's been easy months for me."
Nadal, a four-time US Open champion, is looking to win a third major of 2022 and lift the 23rd major of his career.
In a strange turn of events, the 36-year-old Spaniard was taking a routine swing when his racket bounced off the US Open hard court and then hit his buzzer by mistake.
It left an open wound on the bridge of his nose and he immediately stopped playing as he was in so much pain from the self-inflicted wound.
A physio immediately entered the court and treated the bleeding cut as the 22-time Slam champion lay on the ground next to his chair.
The incident occurred during the fourth game of the fourth set in his second round clash with Italy's Fabio Fognini.
The Spaniard then took to Instagram at 1:35 a.m. local time to post a photo of himself showing off his plastered nose.
But he assured fans there was no lasting damage as he wrote: "All good."
In the third round, Nadal now faces France's Richard Gasquet, against whom he is on a 17-match unbeaten streak.
Nadal said: "I'm fine now. Well, I was a bit dizzy at the beginning. A bit painful.
"It's happened before with a golf club, not a tennis racket!
“I tried to feel myself on the court, I put some balls in, I tried to be in the game because for more than an hour and a half I was not competing.
"Probably one of the worst starts ever. But that's part of the game."
"You have to be humble, accept situations, it's been easy months for me."
Nadal, a four-time US Open champion, is looking to win a third major of 2022 and lift the 23rd major of his career.
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