Rafael Nadal crashed to his worst Grand Slam tennis defeat in seven years on Thursday night when Czech journeyman Lukas Rosol, the world number 100, pulled off one of the greatest upsets in Wimbledon history.
Rosol, whose previous visits to Wimbledon had ended in five successive first-round losses in qualifying, stunned the 2008 and 2010 champion, and 11-time Grand Slam title winner Nadal, 6-7 (9-11) 6-4 6-4 2-6 6-4.
He will face German 27th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber for a place in the last 16.
Nadal, winner of 11 titles at the majors, last lost in the second round at a major in 2005 at Wimbledon, the year before reaching his first final on the grass.
Thursday’s match was delayed for about half an hour while the roof was closed to allow the fifth set to be played under lights.