The fans and tennis analysts were very convinced that seven-time Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal will go all the way to the final of the 2012 Wimbledon Championships and could even go as far as winning his third Grand Slam singles title in this grasscourt event. On Thursday, everything did not go as predicted.
100th-ranked Lukas Rosol spoiled the party by pulling off the biggest upset of the tournament, beating number two Rafael Nadal Rafael Nadal 6-7(9), 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 in the second round of The Championships. This is Nadal’s earliest exit at a Grand Slam tournament in seven years.
“Today I was somewhere else and I’m really happy for this,” said Rosol.
“Still, I cannot find the words. I still can’t believe it. It’s like a dream for me,” he added.
Nadal won the first set via a tiebreaker but lost the two next sets after Rosol’s game started to pay off. During the fourth set, the match was suspended briefly to close the Centre Court roof. Nadal went on to win the set. However, at the final set Rosol did not lose his nerves when serving for the match at 5-4 and went on to create the biggest headline by far.
“Before the last game, I was not sure if I will be shaking or not because it was the first time against Rafa and the first time also in Wimbledon Centre Court,” Rosol said.
“You never know what to expect, so it was not easy, and I survived,” he added.
Nadal’s loss means that his aim to clinch the top ranking once more will have to wait and he’s expected to lose his current ranking as well with Federer still in the tournament and in the running for the top ranking.
“For sure, it wasn’t the best one for me,” said Nadal.
“But that’s what it is. I accept that he came back and played unbelievable in the fifth [set]. I was playing well in the fourth. I think I played a great fourth set,” he finished.
