Nadal relives a familiar Wimbledon nightmare

The cauldron of sport can brew dreams into reality just as easily as it can make a stew from a dream and turn it into a nightmare. The most hallowed park in the game of tennis laid a dreadful flytrap in the remorseless path of Rafael Nadal as it captured and devoured the Spaniard for a second year in a row. In stark contrast, a 29-year-old Belgian lived out his wildest dream just as Nadal was going through his worst nightmare at the other side of the net on the same stage. Steve Darcis went one better on the mighty accomplishment of Lukas Rosol last year, steering with steadfastness through a stormy 7-6(4), 7-6(8), 6-4 victory over Nadal in the first round of Wimbledon.

So much for all the brouhaha over the draw and the seeding formula that determines the pecking order at SW19 each year. When it was finally known that Rafael Nadal would only be seeded fifth, it was presumed that the bottom half would reel under the gravitational influence of the mascon-like Spaniard. But a Belgian, who suddenly believed he was from Jupiter, floated around court 1 with a surprisingly assured effort to defy Nadal’s gravitational pull and soar to rarefied heights.

The upset was obviously sensational, possibly among the biggest upset in recent memory. Especially considering that the twelve-time Grand Slam champion has never lost in the first round of a Grand Slam event ever in his career. Darcis, on the other hand, was no more than an afterthought heading into Wimbledon. He was only a second alternate after losing in the qualifiers, but a series of withdrawals opened up the spot for the 135^th ranked Belgian.

The two-time Wimbledon champion has suffered in the past too. In 2009, Nadal was forced to withdraw just days ahead of his title defence. Last year, 100^th ranked Lukas Rosol upended the Spaniard on an inspired afternoon. Darcis probably drew belief from the heroics of his predecessor and some weakness in the knee of his opponent, but he still had to deal with his nerves and stay the course to score the biggest upset of his career.

In the time that it took the spectators to settle in to their appointed seats, Darcis unsettled Nadal by stepping inside the court to attack with gay abandon. The Belgian used the slice to devastating effect, denying Nadal the bounce he needed to strike his typically ferocious groundstrokes. The 29-year-old even had the temerity to move Nadal from side to side before leaving him stranded in the wrong place.

The Belgian may have won just once in four earlier outings at Wimbledon, but played with the freedom and authority of a man possessed to oust the hottest player on the circuit. Nadal had stacked an incredible 43-2 record since returning from a seven-month layoff in February. The run included nine finals in as many events and seven titles as he bludgeoned his way to triumph after triumph on the red shale of Europe.

It is also worth remembering that Nadal made five finals at Wimbledon between 2006 and 2011, with the exception being 2009 when he withdrew due to injury. But the evidence of his five-set loss to Lukas Rosol last year and the more humiliating straight sets submission to Darcis yesterday indicate a larger issue for Nadal. The man with the steely heart, but wobbly knees, could be reaching a phase in his life when he is forced to maximise his returns on clay at the expense of the rest of the season.

The Spaniard is renowned for his ability to grind his opponents to death, especially under moments of distress. On Monday, the matador from Majorca was strangely subdued – down a set, the southpaw broke serve right on cue in the eleventh game of the second set. The man we know would have gone on to hold serve and seal the set before wiping his opponent off the court. Not yesterday, when a strangely tentative Nadal fell to 15-40 and it was Darcis who imposed himself to force a second breaker.

Nadal showed characteristic resilience in saving four set points, but then squandered one of his own as the Belgian drew level at 8-8. The Belgian took a two-set lead with impossible calm as he went about his job with raw courage, even as Nadal continued to crumble like an ageing edifice. It was almost as if Nadal was resigned to defeat when he surrendered a break in the very first set of the final set.

Even then, many of Nadal’s followers believed that the indefatigable beast would somehow mount a stirring comeback to take the next three sets. After all, we have grown accustomed to watch Nadal fight for every point as if an entire life depended on it. But as the set progressed, it was becoming painfully obvious that the Spaniard lacked the energy and muscle needed to hold his own against his encouraged opponent.

The Spaniard had one final opportunity in the eighth game, but it evaporated as soon as it was created. The forlorn look on Nadal’s worn visage told a story of its own at the end of that game. It was as if the Spaniard knew he had long ago burnt the lush green grass to attain an eighth French Open crown. His impassive reluctance aside, it was time to admit that Nadal had reached a stage where the transition from clay to grass was proving increasingly impossible, even by his unreal standards.

Nadal might have been disappointed to see that ace down the middle zip past his reach, but he might also have been quietly relieved deep within. The knees are worn again and he probably does not really need another test on the skidding grass of Wimbledon. After all, he had already achieved the French – Wimbledon double – not once, but twice. It will be interesting to see how long Nadal needs to recuperate his energies, and if he does, will he remain a factor on the hard court stretch later this season.