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Rafael Nadal falls to shock Wimbledon defeat by Lukas Rosol

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Wimbledon 2012: Rafael Nadal toppled by Lukas Rosol

Two-time Wimbledon champion Rafael Nadal was handed a shock second-round defeat by world number 100 Lukas Rosol in a five-set thriller.

Nadal could not contain a barrage of relentless, brutal groundstrokes from the Czech, 26, on his Wimbledon debut.

Rosol moved into a two-one lead but Nadal fought back to win the fourth.

Play was suspended while the roof was closed and it was Rosol who settled first to win the final set and the match 6-7 (9-11) 6-4 6-4 2-6 6-4.

The result now opens up the draw for Britain's world number four Andy Murray, who was seeded to meet the Spaniard in the semi-final and beat Ivo Karlovic in four sets earlier in the day.

Rosol, who is making his main draw debut at Wimbledon after losing in the first round of qualifying for the last five years, will play Philipp Kohlschreiber next after the German beat Malek Jaziri of Tunisia.

It was the first time Nadal had lost before the third round of a Grand Slam since he was beaten by Gilles Mueller in the second round at Wimbledon in 2005.

Nadal, who won the Wimbledon title in 2008 and 2010, arrived at the All England Club in good form having sealed his seventh French Open title.

Rosol, meanwhile, has never got past the third round of a Grand Slam and has remained a relative unknown since turning pro in 2004, although he was ranked as high as 65 last year.

"I don't know what to say," Rosol told BBC Sport. "I'm not just surprised but it's like a miracle. I never expected something like this. There are so many emotions - I don't know what to say.

"[Nadal] is a superstar and I'm very sorry for him. I played unbelievably today. I hope I can play another match like this.

"I'm very happy for my support. Before the match I was thinking to play three good sets so I don't lose 3-0.

"I know Nadal is only human. Nadal played a good match but I think I was a little bit better."

Nadal, who had to overcome a slow start to beat Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil in the first round, struggled with his groundstrokes in the first set but managed to steal the tie-break 11-9 with a blistering forehand winner.

Undeterred, Rosol continued to go for his shots, breaking Nadal in the first game and holding on to win the set 6-4 with some tremendous hitting.

The Czech seemed oblivious to the enormity of the situation as he continued his ferocious hitting from all over the court to take an early break and then the set to lead 2-1.

However, mistakes began to creep into the 26-year-old Rosol's game and 11-time Grand Slam winner Nadal pounced, breaking twice to force a decider.

With the light deteriorating, officials decided to halt the match and close the roof to allow the match to reach a conclusion.

The players returned 43 minutes later, with Rosol breaking Nadal immediately and then holding on to secure a famous victory on Centre Court just after 22:00 BST.

Afterwards, the Spaniard said: "I played a great fourth set. He came back [after the delay to close the roof] and played unbelievable in the fifth.

"The only thing I can do is go back home and rest, and I need and deserve it."

He added: "I'm very, very disappointed [but] it's not a tragedy, it's only a tennis match."

Elsewhere, fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga overcame a first-set blip to beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 6-1 6-3 to set up a tie with Lukas Lacko.

Three-time Wimbledon runner-up Andy Roddick progressed to the last 32 with with a comprehensive 6-3 7-6 (7-1) 6-3 victory over Bjorn Phau of Germany.

The American has struggled for form this year but won his fifth grass-court title with victory at Eastbourne last week as a wildcard.

The 30th seed, who has yet to drop a set in the tournament, hit 13 aces and only lost his serve once to progress to the third round round of a Grand Slam for the first time this year.

He will now play Spanish seventh seed David Ferrer who also went through in straight sets, beating France's Kenny De Schepper 7-6 (7-1) 6-2 6-4.

Marin Cilic, the 16th seed who won the Aegon Championships at the Queen's Club this month after David Nalbandian was disqualified, beat Lukasz Kubot 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 6-1 to set up a third-round tie against either Sam Querrey or Milos Raonic.

The winner of that clash faces a potential match-up with Murray in the fourth round.

Thirteenth seed Gilles Simon, who has found himself in the headlines this week by saying men should be paid more than women because their events are more popular, lost 6-4 6-4 7-6 (7-5) to Xavier Malisse of Belgium.

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176 comments

  • Comment posted by User0602933821, at 01:28 29 Jun 2012

    Agree with Gilles Simon - men should be paid more because their events are more popular and also because they play 5 sets.

    Anyone for an Open tournament to replace the Mens'and run alongside the women's event for those who don't ant to play in the Open? That way women can compete for the same money as the men, by playing in the same event.

    Now that would be fun!

  • Comment posted by Spurtle, at 09:08 29 Jun 2012

    Why are people making out Nadal was a bad loser? If you watch the video you'll see he briefly has a word with Rosol congratulating him, fetches his racket for him, and signs autographs afterwards. He obviously didn't look like he was happy, but what do you expect after such a loss...all smiles?

  • Comment posted by User0138791583, at 00:29 29 Jun 2012

    This result is the best thing that's happened for the game in years. As brilliant as the tennis has been between the big three/big four in the latter stages of majors, ultimately there has rarely - if ever - been a player capable of taking them out so early in a major and in such a tight match. Soderling doesn't compare because he thumped Nadal - Rosol had to hold his nerve in a fifth set. Superb.

  • Comment posted by cashcow, at 23:56 28 Jun 2012

    Rosol was brilliant but surely he cannot be allowed to continuously spit his way through matches. This is the first time I witnessed spitting at Wimbledon and just as grunting is now commonplace in womens matches, there will be a massive upsurge in spitting unless it is nipped in the bud.

  • Comment posted by User0232050891, at 07:45 29 Jun 2012

    You can't blame Nadal for losing, it was all Rosol. I very much doubt he'll now become a world force as it was probably just one of those freak performances where everything went right. If you look at most of the unseeded players at Wimbledon, they're normally well capable of hitting good shots, the difference is they can only do it occasionally whereas world-class players can do it all the time.

  • Comment posted by DJ205, at 08:40 29 Jun 2012

    @Display name (#63)
    Eleven foreign men beat eleven other foreign men with a ball, shock horror. But I bet you were still watching the football last night... It's all to do with taste. I did not watch the football, I was too busy watching the most amazing match from Wimbledon I think I have ever seen. The way he played against Nadal, Rosol definately deserves his win, no question.

  • Comment posted by Pauline Fothergill, at 09:31 29 Jun 2012

    What a superb match. OK Nadal was not playing at his best, but one cannot deny that the young Czech played a blinder. Just wish he'd stop spitting - a terrible example to others and a totally disgusting habit.

  • Comment posted by User0323577378, at 08:31 29 Jun 2012

    For once Nadal's time wasting tactics didn't work. Here was a guy who didn't have to towal for every shot, had no problems with his hair, nose,or underpants, and just wanted to get on with the game ! More of the same please !

  • Comment posted by User0842747051, at 00:22 29 Jun 2012

    Well done to Mr. Rosol to beat a player of the calibre of Nadal. It will be interesting to see how Nadal reacts to this defeat, will his form slump or will he bounce back in a little over 5 weeks at the Olympics? Given that Nadal is now out of the tournament Murray has a great chance of getting to the final, but he's still got a long way to go and has a tough path ahead of him. Come on Andy!

  • Comment posted by Cameron, at 11:11 29 Jun 2012

    @ Qadeer Uddin #115

    Do you even follow tennis?

    To say that Murray can't even get to the quarters finals at slams is ridiculous. It does not matter what you think of him, what you said is factually incorrect. Murray has reached the quarter finals or better in the last 6 slams. 1 quarter final, 4 semis and a final. Not to mention many other semis and finals before this run started.

  • Comment posted by rememberscarborough, at 11:25 29 Jun 2012

    Yesterday's performance by Rosol was probably the most sensational performance by a single sportsperson in years. The occasion and the opponent inspired him to play at a level that he could never match anywhere else. Truely epic sport and an inspiration to sports people all over the world. British Olympians take note!!

  • Comment posted by Auron, at 08:04 29 Jun 2012

    "but Rafa was just beginning to take over when the match was stopped to close the roof. Rosol took advantage of the delay to regroup and win. Rafa could be considered unlucky but Rosol, 100 in the world has to be congratulated."

    Delays have helped Rafa in the past more than anyone as his game requires a lot more strength than skill a rest normally is in his favour. Good to see it didnt this time

  • Comment posted by User0138791583, at 11:26 29 Jun 2012

    It has to be said that Nadal profited from a delay in play in the French Open final, he would have lost the fourth set if they'd completed it on the Sunday. He's also stalled and taken injury time-outs to put opponents off on numerous occasions, so it's good to see someone turn it on its head. That said, Nadal showed real class by handing Rosol his racquet and signing autographs afterwards.

  • Comment posted by SoozUK, at 10:31 29 Jun 2012

    What I love about the British public is that we don't just back the favourite, we don't just root for the underdog - we cheer for the better player. And yesterday the better player was Rosol. He deserved the standing ovation that was given to him and his attitude was exemplary from the moment he walked out on Centre Court. Lovely, heartfelt interview too.

  • Comment posted by jason, at 11:15 29 Jun 2012

    Ive been watching tennis since a boy watching borg, I cant remember a match quite like it. It was spectacular tennis from rosol! What a shame for nadal but he was well and truly thrashed out there, any other player would have been too.
    Do i smell an upset? If he can keep the belief and play like that then why not ;-).
    my goodness what a great match. Come on murray! ;-)
    awesome tennis this year

  • Comment posted by User0029071733, at 10:14 29 Jun 2012

    Can someone please tell Rosol to spit into his towel as opposed to spitting onto the court. It's Wimbledon not Wembley!

  • Comment posted by Jobber, at 12:45 29 Jun 2012

    Qadeer would appear to has a significant chip on his shoulder as a lack of reasoning alone cannot explain his original comment. Andy Murray has reached nine Grand Slam semi finals (from three of which he reached the final). Last year alone he featured in all four Grand Slam semis and made it to the Australian Open final.Nadal's loss slashes his odds of reaching his first Wimbledon final.

  • Comment posted by RamboHop, at 00:12 29 Jun 2012

    Amazing, incredible match, can't believe Rafa didn't pull it out, he always seems to be able to recover when he's down, but maybe that's Novak's specialty now!

    http://samhopwood.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/wimbledon-2012-those-four-again.html

  • Comment posted by Triceratops-Obsoletesauraus, at 00:12 29 Jun 2012

    Just come back from Wimbledon having been on Centre Court for this match - it was insane!

    This was the first time I'd seen Nadal play at Wimbledon. What was unbelievable at times was that Nadal was winning many serves to love, but he had to be in such a defensive position against Rosol's backhand and his accuracy close to the lines. Nadal seemed subdued at times but Rosol was often incredible!

  • Comment posted by User0438154733, at 08:41 29 Jun 2012

    Well that should shorten the length of the final.
    Without first wiping your nose with you fingers and rubbing the side of your hair twice (once each side) Get a proper hair cut then your hair will not be a problem.
    Without having to pull at your underwear everytime before you play a point.
    Without having to towel yourself down after every rally, even if you serve an ace.

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