Friday, 29 June 2012

Nadal laments defeat to "inspired" foe

Clive Rose / Getty Images Europe
Tennis News: Rafael Nadal Lukas Rosol


Rafael Nadal called for a sense of perspective but his conqueror Lukas Rosol hailed a "miracle" after one of the most startling Wimbledon upsets.
Two-time champion and second seed Nadal had been expected to easily deal with the world number 100 from the Czech Republic, but instead found himself knocked out in round two under the Centre Court roof.
He was beaten in five sets by the man from Brno, never managing to show the form that has earned him 11 grand slam titles and over £32 million in prize money - £31.5 million more than Rosol has pocketed over his career.
To add to the gaping chasm between the two, Nadal had reached eight of the last nine grand slam finals and Rosol has now reached the third round of a slam for just the second time in his largely nomadic career.
"It is a miracle for me - I never expected this," Rosol said.
Nadal was phlegmatic afterwards, despite slumping to his worst grand slam return since a second-round Wimbledon defeat to Gilles Muller seven years ago.
"I am very disappointed, sure. It's painful because it's always tough to lose," he said.
"But you play against an inspired opponent and you are out. That's all. It is not a tragedy, only a tennis match. At the end, that's life. There is much more important things. Sure, I wanted to win, but I lost. That's it."
A clearly frustrated Nadal, a winner at Wimbledon in 2008 and 2010, had looked ill at ease all match.
He complained to the umpire about Rosol's movement when preparing to receive serve, claiming it was "not fair", while he was also animated when the players were asked to leave the court to allow the roof to be closed at the end of the fourth set.
The Majorcan was unwilling to offer excuses in the aftermath, though, only adding that he was unhappy with the amount of time - nearly 45 minutes - that it took to close the roof.
He said: "I was surprised. My feeling is that it is a completely new stadium with a new roof. The normal thing is to cover the roof in five or 10 minutes. That was my thought.
"It's too simple to say he was too good. In the fifth set he played more than unbelievable, but the bad thing of this is anything that I will say now will sound against me. Now is not the right moment to say what happened out there because it's going to sound like an excuse.
"I never want to put an excuse out after a match like today. But the umpire said a few things that weren't right."
Nadal also gave a nod towards needing rest, with Wimbledon coming after a gruelling clay-court season that saw him win a record seventh French Open title just 18 days ago.
He carefully ruled Rosol out of challenging for the title, though, asking: "How old is he? Twenty-six. He didn't in the past."
Rosol's reward is a third-round meeting with Philipp Kohlschreiber.
The Czech is a relative unknown on the professional circuit and this is the first year he has qualified for the men's draw at Wimbledon.
It did not show as he displayed nerves of steel to plant a string of winners beyond Nadal, before he crowned the win with a near-perfect service game that included three aces.
"In the fifth set I didn't feel anything," he said.
"I was just so concentrated on myself. I still cannot find the words. This is like a dream for me.
"Everyone can beat everyone. We are all human, but this is the highest win of my career."

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