For some it takes longer than others.
For five years Lukas Rosol, a 26-year-old Czech, had been trying to get into the main draw at Wimbledon, and five times he had lost in the first-round of qualifying. Now he has created one of the greatest upsets of modern times in Grand Slam tennis by beating Rafael Nadal, the No. 2 seed, the two-time former champion, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
Not since Wimbledon 2005 had Nadal lost as early as the second round in a Grand Slam tournament.
It was not just the victory but the quality of it that had everyone gasping as night fell over the All England Club.
“Stunning, absolutely stunning,” said former British No. 1 John Lloyd.
Tim Henman, four-time semifinalist here, said, “It wasn’t as if Rafa lost the match. Rosol won it. He served it out like a seasoned campaigner.”
Which, in one sense, he is. Seasoned at playing in Challengers and qualifying events — but not in the second round at Wimbledon. Yet there was not the slightest sign of nerves during a superbly played fifth set that took place after the Centre Court roof had been closed so that the lights could illuminate a duel that continued to stretch the limits of credibility.
Nadal, never really looking comfortable, had fought back with all his customary belligerence to take the fourth set after Rosol had served him out of the third. But Nadal was quickly under fire again from an artillery of blistering returns as the 6-foot-5 Czech hammered balls to all parts of the court.
Breaking early in the fifth, Rosol continued to go for broke, serving and volleying on occasion as he stepped up the pressure on the great champion. At 4-2, Rosol had Nadal in trouble again by unleashing an astonishing backhand cross court winner that was travelling at 99 mph. Then he smacked a forehand up the line, and the Spaniard was struggling at 0-30. Tenaciously Nadal fought his way out of that predicament, aided by an ace, but it was only a temporary reprieve.
Rosol then served his 18th ace and followed up with another huge forehand winner to hold serve to love. He might have broken again had not his backhand fallen back on his side of the court after clipping the tape. So Nadal held and it was 5-3 — time for the journeyman pro to decide whether he had what it takes to write himself into the history books.
Ace. Forehand winner. Ace smack on the line. Three match points, and he needed only one. Ace. Astonishing. Rosol fell onto the turf as the Centre Court rose to a player who had made his ranking of exactly 100 a mere irrelevant statistic with a truly great performance.
“It is like a miracle,” Rosol said as he came off court. “I was thinking just to play three good sets. I never expected anything like this. I have so many emotions now.”
Nadal, avoiding excuses as best he could, refused to talk about why he had, apparently, been annoyed at the way Rosol had jumped around before serving. But he did admit that the long stoppage of 45 minutes while they closed the roof had worked against him.
“I was surprised it took so long,” he said. “It wasn’t the best for me.”
Nadal admitted that he had not returned well in the first three sets.
“Then I played very good in the fourth,” he said. “But in the fifth, he was too good. It happens on this surface when you play a player who hits the ball hard and feels no pressure.”
Rosol acknowledged that he didn’t feel anything when he returned to the court after a shower and some treatment in the locker room.
“I was somewhere else,” he said. “It was like a dream for me. I just played.”
And how.
