By Bill Scott –
LONDON — Czech Republic player Lukas Rosol dealt world No. 2 player Rafael Nadal his worst loss in seven years at a major as the No. 100 shocked the Spaniard, 6-7 (9-11), 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, in a world-class second-round upset at Wimbledon on Thursday.
Nadal, winner of 11 Grand Slam titles, including his seventh French Open less than three weeks ago, went down in three and a quarter hours to an opponent making his debut at the All England Club and playing for only the second time on grass.
“I don’t know what to say, this is like a miracle for me,” said the challenger who fell to his knees as he completed the win under the closed roof of centre court with the lights on. “I’ve never experienced anything like this, there are so many emotions.
“I’m sorry for Nadal, but I played unbelievably today, I hope I can play one more match like that.
“I knew Nadal was only human and he can have a day when he’s not in a very good shape. I think that happened today. I played my best match ever,” said the 26-year-old.
The Spanish second seed was out of sorts from the start, complaining throughout and spraying his shots all over the court.
The final set was played under the roof, which required a 40-minute pause. That also infuriated the 11-time Grand Slam champion.
Rosol stayed calm as he broke to start the fifth set and didn’t lose a point in serve in his final two games.
Nadal is now in danger of being overhauled in the rankings by No. 3 Roger Federer, who could take back No. 1 with a title next weekend.
Andy Murray matched Croatian giant Ivo Karlovic in a battle of serve as the British fourth seed kept his dream of a long-sought title alive at Wimbledon.
Murray, hoping to become the first home player to win the men’s singles titles in 76 years, produced a 7-5, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) second-round victory with 11 aces and 43 winners enough to see off the tallest man in the game.
Karlovic fired 18 aces and 58 winners while losing serve four times in more than three and a half hours of battle on center court.
Murray has now won all four of his career meetings with Karlovic as the Scot bids to get past the semi-final plateau where he has stalled over the last three years.
No. 5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-1, 6-3, No. 7 David Ferrer stopped Kenny De Schepper, 7-6 (7-1), 6-2, 6-4, and Argentine ninth seed Juan Del Potro stopped Go Soeda of Japan, 6-2, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4.
Mardy Fish, seeded 10th, prevented another British win with his defeat of James Ward, 6-3, 7-5, 4-6, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3.
In the women’s draw, No. 1 Maria Sharapova survived a struggle but finished off a darkness-interrupted second-round match 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (3-7), 6-0 over Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova.
The top seed and 2004 winner said the two-day win against the 2010 semifinalist Pironkova felt like two matches.
“Yesterday she started well and came out firing,” said the Russian. “She had opportunities to win the set, but I hung on and played extremely well to win the set.
“Today she started very well. I was up a break, but things didn’t go according to plan. In the third set I turned it around. I started with no motor whatsoever, I was just on pause, just making errors.”
Number 2 Victoria Azarenka hammered Swiss Romina Oprandi, 6-2, 6-0, while holder Petra Kvitova continued to progress, beating Britain’s Elena Baltacha, 6-0, 6-4.
Sixth seed Williams beat Melinda Czink of Hungary, 6-1, 6-4, German eighth seed Kerber defeated Russian Ekaterina Makarova, 7-5, 6-3, and Roland Garros finalist Errani crushed Brit Anne Keothavong, 6-1, 6-1.
Croatia’s Mirjana Lucic, a 1999 semifinalist, continued a remarkable comeback saga, reaching the third round after a 13-year-pause as she upset the 2007 finalist and ninth seed Marion Bartoli, 6-4, 6-3.
Bartoli had 10 double-faults and was able to capitalize on only one of seven break changes.
