Rafael Nadal fell apart during match play at Wimbledon on Thursday, first falling into a net, then arguing with the umpire before bumping opponent Lukas Rosol during a changeover. When all was said and done however Rosol had the last laugh as the Czech player defeated Nadal 6-7 (9), 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
The win for Rosol was the first time since 2005 that Rafael Nadal was forced to exit a match in the 2nd round.
After the match Rafael had nothing bad to say about his fellow opponent:
“In the fifth set he played more than unbelievable. Before, first three sets, I didn’t play well.”
Speaking about the “bump” situation during a crossover Rosol said:
“He wanted to take my concentration. That’s OK. I knew he would try something, but I was concentrating.”
The victory was a big one for Rosol who was playing in Wimbledon’s main draw for the first time in his career.
Ranked No. 100, Rosol is the lowest ranked player to ever defeat Rafael Nadal in a Grand Slam tournament.
Many observers of the match were shocked by the outcome, especially Rosol who after the match proclaimed:
“I’m not just surprised; it’s like a miracle for me. I never expected something like this.”
When asked what annoyed him about the match Nadal refused to give specific, instead noting:
“Anything that I will say now will sound against me. It’s not the right moment for me to say what happened out there, because it’s going to sound like an excuse.”
To which Rosol countered:
“I was concentrating on myself. I don’t know what he was complaining about.”