Lukas Rosol: the man who registered biggest upset of the Wimbledon Championships: Tennis Spotlight
Czech tennis star, Lukas Rosol, registered his biggest win at the Wimbledon Championships 2012, third of the four Grand Slam events taking place in London, regardless of a poor season.
Despite coming off from a drastic start of the season, the Czech underdog surprised everyone after stunning the reigning Roland Garros champion, Rafael Nadal, in a five-set thriller at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.
“Today I was somewhere else and I'm really happy for this,” said the beaming Czech after registering this upset victory. “Still, I cannot find the words. I still can't believe it. It's like a dream for me.”
The 26-year-old smashed 22 aces and clobbered an equal first serve share of 67 per cent and impressively availed 92 out of 137 points on it. He also brilliantly fired 65 winners as compared to the 11-time Grand Slam champion’s 41 and displayed his best tennis.
Rosol recorded more unforced errors but through angled shots from his box of tricks, he nudged up a 6-7(9), 6-4, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 victory against the two-time Wimbledon champion.
“Before the last game, I was not sure if I will be shaking or not because it was the first time against Rafa and the first time also in Wimbledon Centre Court,” Rosol was further quoted in the post match press conference. “You never know what to expect,
so it was not easy, and I survived.”
Ranked 103rd in the South African Airways ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Tour rankings, Rosol entered this major grass court event after showing brilliant skills at the AEGON Championships in Queens Club. He made a third round
showing (lost to sixth seeded Marin Cilic) before playing the qualifying competition at the AEGON International in Eastbourne. Apart from losing in the final qualifying round, Rosol gained confidence on clay and got ready for the Wimbledon Championships.
“This year, I changed and I played already at Queen's and Eastbourne, a couple more weeks [than before],” said Rosol. “If I play on grass more, I think I can get better.”
The Czech crashed out from the opening or early rounds in almost every tournament he played from the start of the season. However, he lifted his game in may and cruised to the quarter-finals at the Prague Challenger (fell to Aljaz Bedene) and the Serbia
Open (bowed out to top seeded Pablo Andujar). Mustering his season further, Rosol made a final four showing at the Brodeaux Challenger in France (lost to Russia’s Teymuraz Gabashvili) before the grass court season started.
The Brno native is currently on a 14-14 win-loss record this season and carried his impressive skills at the Mercedes Cup, an ATP World Tour 250 series event held in Stuttgart, Germany. Rosol jolted down Dutch number one Robin Haase in straight sets in his
opening round match and is now looking forward to take down the local contender, Bjorn Phau. He is bidding for his maiden ATP career title at the Tennis Club Weissenhof.
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