Qualifier Dustin Brown shocks Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon
ByReuters
Updated 02/07/2015 at 20:10 GMT
Dustin Brown put in a virtuoso display as he beat two-time Wimbledon champion Rafael Nadal 7-5 3-6 6-4 6-4.
Dustin Brown of Germany celebrates after winning his match against Rafael Nadal of Spain at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, July 2, 2015
Image credit: Reuters
The Spaniard, who has slipped down the sport's pecking order and was seeded 10 after a year of injury and below-par performances, fell as Brown, ranked 102 in the world, unleashed a barrage of thunderous serves and ground strokes, mixed with clever drop shots to seal a shock victory.
Brown, who had beaten Nadal in the pair's only other meeting last year, looked to rush the Spaniard from the start, blasting winners at every opportunity and squeezing Nadal at the net to cut off his options in an unorthodox style that had the Wimbledon crowd in raptures.
Former world number one Nadal, famed for his athleticism, could not find his rhythm among Brown's variety of play, picking up the second set with a flash of his familiar passing shots and a helpful, albeit momentary, easing in his 30-year old opponent's arrow like attack.
But normal service was resumed afterwards as the dreadlocked Brown, who changed nationality from Jamaican to German in 2010, blasted onward to seal victory with his 13th ace of the match.
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Dustin Brown of Germany serves during his match against Rafael Nadal of Spain at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, July 2, 2015. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth
Image credit: Reuters
Brown, who had beaten Nadal in the pair's only other meeting last year, looked to rush the Spaniard from the start, blasting winners at every opportunity and squeezing Nadal at the net to cut off his options in an unorthodox style that had the Wimbledon crowd in raptures.
Former world number one Nadal, famed for his athleticism, could not find his rhythm among Brown's variety of play, picking up the second set with a flash of his familiar passing shots and a helpful, albeit momentary, easing in his 30-year old opponent's arrow like attack.
But normal service was resumed afterwards as the dreadlocked Brown, who changed nationality from Jamaican to German in 2010, blasted onward to seal victory with his 13th ace of the match.
/origin-imgresizer.eurosport.com/2015/07/02/1629033-34578467-2560-1440.jpg)
Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts during his match against Dustin Brown of Germany at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, July 2, 2015.
Image credit: Reuters
Defeat to Brown, who heads into the third round at Wimbledon for the second time to face Serb Viktor Troikci, marked Nadal's first loss to a qualifier in any grand slam.
"On this court especially, you meet players that don't want to play from the baseline sometimes," Nadal said.
"This opponent is one of these. You cannot have mistakes against a player like him with that big serve. You know, nothing to lose. Serving first and second almost the same speed.
"Without having rhythm at all. I didn't hit three balls in a row the same way. Then when you need to hit that ball, extra ball, you don't have the confidence to do it. So that's what happened."
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