Rafael Nadal has been bounced from Wimbledon, after being dismissed in three sets by Belgium’s Steve Darcis, who is ranked No. 135 in the world. Nadal’s upset loss by 7-6(4), 7-6(8), 6-4 stunned tennis fans, shook up the men’s bracket, and raised questions about the Spanish star’s health.
Nadal, 27, has been hampered by knee problems in recent years. But he refused to blame Monday’s loss — his first ever in a Grand Slam tournament’s opening round — on a possible injury. He struggled with his backhand Monday and never took control of a match that lasted nearly three hours.
By contrast, Darcis played well from the start, with an effective serve and slicing shots that gave Nadal trouble.