WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — It was Lukas Rosol and not Rafael Nadal who looked like a two-time Wimbledon champion used to pummeling opponents into submission on tennis’ biggest stage.
It was Rosol, and not Nadal, who sprinted to and from his chair during changeovers like he had a never-ending supply of energy, pumped his fist and shouted to his entourage in the player’s box. And it was the 100th-ranked, little-known Czech player making his first Wimbledon appearance — and not the 11-time Grand Slam winner — who got better and stronger as the second-round match on Centre Court progressed into the night.
He hit ace after ace to complete one of the biggest upsets tennis has seen in years.
As surprising as Rosol’s fiveset victory over Nadal was, the manner in which he completed it Thursday was perhaps equally stunning.
Rosol, who had lost in qualifying for Wimbledon in each of the last five years, simply outclassed Nadal with his powerful serving and booming ground strokes. He hit crosscourt backhand winners that measured 99 mph, he stepped up to whip scorching forehand returns, and he served so well that Nadal hardly tried to get to them by the final game. The last one he hit was his 22nd, and it wrapped up a 6-7 (9), 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 victory that no one had seen coming.
Least of all Rosol himself.
“I’m not just surprised; it’s like a miracle for me,” he said. “Like just some B team in Czech Republic can beat Real Madrid (in) soccer.”
Top-ranked Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams and defending champion Petra Kvitova all won on the women’s side, and Andy Murray might prove to be the biggest beneficiary of Nadal’s loss. The two were set to face each other in the semifinals, but Murray’s side of the draw now looks wide open as he tries to become the first British man since 1936 to win the grass-court Grand Slam.
Murray beat Ivo Karlovic 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (4) on Centre Court in the match before Nadal’s.
Nadal won a record seventh French Open championship this month and was bidding for his third title at Wimbledon, where he was runner-up last year.
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