Rafael Nadal falls to the ground after losing a point,
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WIMBLEDON, England — First Rafael Nadal took a tumble into the net. Then he began complaining to the umpire. Then he bumped his opponent, Lukas Rosol, during a changeover.
Rosol thought the contact was intentional.
“I was surprised he could do it on the Centre Court at Wimbledon,” Rosol said.
But the obscure Czech was not to be rattled. Nadal made his earliest Grand Slam exit since 2005, losing in the second round yesterday, 6-7 (9), 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
“In the fifth set he played more than unbelievable,” Nadal said. “Before, first three sets, I didn’t play well.”
Nadal’s demeanor grew glum as the match progressed, and in the third set, he bumped into Rosol as they crossed to reach their chairs for a break.
“He wanted to take my concentration,” Rosol said. “That’s OK. I knew he would try something, but I was concentrating.”
The 26-year-old Rosol remained focused to the finish, earning the biggest win of his career while playing in Wimbledon’s main draw for the first time. He lost each of the past five years in the first round of qualifying.
At No. 100, Rosol is the lowest-ranked player to beat Nadal in a Grand Slam tournament.
As the match stretched beyond dusk, the conclusion came with the retractable roof closed for the final set. The upset on tennis’ biggest stage was no fluke: Rosol served brilliantly and repeatedly stepped instead the baseline to hit aggressive groundstrokes, while Nadal found himself pinned deep and on the defensive.
Among those shocked by the result was Rosol.
“I’m not just surprised; it’s like a miracle for me,” he said. “I never expected something like this.”
Nadal saved three set points to win the opening set, but his mood soon became cross. Chasing a drop shot in the second, he stumbled into the net as his racket went flying to the sideline, and he rose frowning at the slick grass.
After falling behind in the third set, he grumbled to the chair umpire during a changeover, apparently irritated by Rosol’s movements awaiting serves.
Following the match, Nadal declined to say what had him annoyed.
“Anything that I will say now will sound against me,” he said. “It’s not the right moment for me to say what happened out there, because it’s going to sound like an excuse.”
* It was a good day for Americans — Serena Williams, Andy Roddick, Mardy Fish and 126th-ranked Brian Baker advanced, as did No. 28-seeded Christina McHale.
Maria Sharapova lost the second set before recovering to beat Tsvetana Pironkova.