London: Rafael Nadal was knocked out of Wimbledon in the second round by the lowest-ranked player ever at a Grand Slam tournament. The two-time champion and runner-up to Novak Djokovic last year lost to 100th ranked Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic 7-6 (9), 4-6, 4-6, 6-2, 4-6.

Nadal recovered from a set down to breeze past the Czech in the fourth set and then play was stopped for half an hour to close the roof because of darkness.

When play resumed, Rosol straightaway broke Nadal's serve in the decisive fifth set. Thereafter, it was a matter of just holding his serve and the Czech did it comfortably. He served three aces in the tenth game to stun the world number two who came here after winning a record seventh French Open and his 11th Grand Slam title.

An excited Rosol said his victory only proved that Nadal was human.

"I don't know what to say. It's like a miracle for me," Rosol told a TV interviewer after the match. "I never could expect anything like this." (IANS)