You could argue that Nadal was under par in his first round match at Wimbledon this year, but it was simply put down to an early grass season blip. A set lost, sure, but nobody realistically saw this as a genuine sign of things to come.
And then came Lukas Rosol.
The Czech and world ranked 100th player, Rosol produced the perfect game last night as he didn't just capitalise on a below par Nadal, but blew the second seed out of centre court with a phenomenal display of power, pace and precision.
Standing taller: Rosol after beating No.2 seed Nadal
Tied at 2 sets each, the match was suspended due to poor light as the players retreated to the locker room as the new roof was closed over. Having won the 4th set 6-2, the momentum at that point was well in favour of the Spaniard, who will no doubt have been frustrated with the break.
Instead, it provided an opportune few moments for Rosol to compose and reset. What happened after the resumption of play, nobody would have predicted.
With Nadal serving first, an undoubted advantage, Rosol used his brilliant forehand return to break, immediately turning the advantage in his favour. From then on, there was no stopping him, and the final set stats tell the story: 20 winners, 1 point conceded in final three service games, 3 aces and a winner to see out the match winning game.
He just didn't slow down, averaging 19 seconds between points compared to Nadal's 26, upsetting Nadal's tempo and refusing to let the Spaniard settle into any kind of rhythm. His shot selection and execution was of a man who had been winning on grass all his career. In actual fact, this was only his second win on grass and only his 18th tour victory ever. In his previous 5 attempts, Rosol had never even made it past the first qualifying round for Wimbledon.
But perhaps the most impressive factor was the complete lack of any apparent nerves from the Czech. His almost robotic, emotionless style was unrelenting, leaving Nadal little chance in most rallies.
Perhaps the biggest shock at Wimbledon in a decade, Rosol has certainly restored faith in the underdog.
Speaking of which, Andy Murray will be smiling quietly somewhere as he has seen his biggest rival in his side of the draw fall by the wayside. The Scotsman has never managed to beat two of the 'big 3' in consecutive matches in a Grand Slam, and with Nadal now eliminated, he won't have to. There are still plenty of potential banana skins before we start talking finals though, not least Frenchman Joe Wilfred Tsonga and who knows, a showdown with Rosol himself.
A great night for Wimbledon, a great night for tennis. Congratulations Lukas Rosol.
As for Nadal, he has now gone almost 2 years since last winning a tour event on anything but clay. Visibly distraught by the loss, he still took time to sign autographs as he trudged off court for another year. He's still a fans favourite and he will be back, of that there is no doubt.
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