Nadal is left for dread: Former champion is dumped out of Wimbledon by World 102 who hasn't cut his hair in 19 years and used to head to tournaments in a camper van

  • Rafael Nadal has crashed out of Wimbledon in the second round today losing 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 to Dustin Brown
  • The qualifier, from Germany, emerged victorious despite a mammoth five-set doubles match yesterday
  • German-born Jamaican could have been eligible to represent the UK because of his grandmother's roots
  • Brown - nicknamed 'Dreddy' - described the victory as the 'best day of my life' and is planning his next upset

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Two-time Wimbledon champion Rafael Nadal was stunned on Centre Court today losing out to qualifier Dustin Brown in a pulsating match. 

Germany's world number 102 won 7-5 3-6 6-4 6-4 to reach the third round of the tournament and dazzled the Wimbledon crowd with his swashbuckling style and imaginative shot selection.

Brown - who first toured the European tennis circuit in a VW camper van - blew away the 14-time Grand Slam winner at SW19 in the most memorable match of Wimbledon so far.

Rafael Nadal cannot hide his disappointment after the loss
Dustin Brown celebrates his victory

Rafael Nadal cannot hide his disappointment after his shock defeat to qualifier Dustin Brown (right) who roars with delight after his magnificent victory today

Brown beat Nadal, the two-time champion in four sets, a day after winning a mammoth five-set doubles match 

Brown beat Nadal, the two-time champion in four sets, a day after winning a mammoth five-set doubles match 

Nadal looks dejected after crashing out to the flamboyant Dustin Brown - he was also beaten in the second round in 2012 

Nadal looks dejected after crashing out to the flamboyant Dustin Brown - he was also beaten in the second round in 2012 

Speaking after the finest victory of his career, the 30-year-old described it as the 'best day of my life'.  

He said: 'I'm happy I got to play him on that court win or lose. All the kids that play tennis dream about being able to play on that Centre Court.

'Playing against him there is special. Also being able to put that performance together, it was definitely very difficult and I'm very happy that I held it together for the whole match.

'On this surface, when I go out there, obviously I'm confident that I can play my game. Obviously I am not unbeatable on this surface, but it comes more natural playing on this, especially with my type of game.

'I know that I can play really well on this. I'm looking forward to the next match.' 

John McEnroe described in his commentary that Brown's win as one of the 'all- time greats' at Wimbledon.

Brown said: 'He just said that to me to me as well. It's a great feeling for him to say that obviously, you know, from the generation that was playing like that, playing serve and volley, coming to the net a lot. It was great to be able to do that today and do it for that long.'

Incredibly, Brown has only played the third round of a Grand Slam once before, when he lost at this stage here in 2013. His win over Nadal, who he also beat on grass in a tour event last year, was only his fifth win in a Slam anywhere

Brown, who came through three rounds of qualifying in Roehampton last week, is a popular character in the sport known for his flailing dreadlocks, vest and serve and volley style. 

His story is quite remarkable.

Born in Germany, his parents decided to emigrate (or in his father's case return) to Jamaica when he was 11.

After playing junior tennis in the Caribbean, his family relocated to Germany in 2004 to try and achieve his dream of becoming professional. 

His parents took out a loan to purchase him a VW camper van to enable him to tour the European tennis circuit, which he described as being 'far from ideal' but a 'lot of fun'. He drove, slept in and cooked in the van as he travelled on the tours between 2004 and 2007. 

At times he survived on complimentary sandwiches, and stayed up all night to string rackets for other players for five euros a time. 

The German world 102 punches the air after his magnificent four-set victory over the two-time Wimbledon champion on Centre Court

The German world 102 punches the air after his magnificent four-set victory over the two-time Wimbledon champion on Centre Court

Brown thrilled the crowd with his swashbuckling serve and volley style and will now face Viktor Troicki, the world number 24 from Serbia
Brown thrilled the crowd with his swashbuckling serve and volley style and will now face Viktor Troicki, the world number 24 from Serbia

Brown thrilled the crowd with his swashbuckling serve and volley style and will now face Viktor Troicki, the world number 24 from Serbia 

For all his valiant efforts, the great champion was unable to overcome the brilliance of Brown who blew him away in a breathtaking display

For all his valiant efforts, the great champion was unable to overcome the brilliance of Brown who blew him away in a breathtaking display

Nadal's girlfriend Xisca Perello looks anxious after watching her boyfriend crash out in the early stages of Wimbledon yet again

Nadal's girlfriend Xisca Perello looks anxious after watching her boyfriend crash out in the early stages of Wimbledon yet again

Xisca Perello saw her boyfriend crash out of the second round - the Spaniard has now lost early on in his previous four Wimbledon visits 

Xisca Perello saw her boyfriend crash out of the second round - the Spaniard has now lost early on in his previous four Wimbledon visits 

Spanish actor Antonio Banderas poses for a selfie with Nicole Kempel as he watched his fellow countryman crash out of the tournament

Spanish actor Antonio Banderas poses for a selfie with Nicole Kempel as he watched his fellow countryman crash out of the tournament

Brown's first big break came in 2009, when he made it through to the finals of a few Challenger events.

The following year, he became a top 100 player for the first time - the target he set himself when he started out as a professional - and started paying back his parents' loan.

It was in that year Brown - whose nickname is 'Dreddy' and regularly uses the hashtag #TeamDreddy - left the Jamaican Tennis Federation because of a lack of funding and instead opted to play for Germany.

He had toyed with the idea of representing Great Britain because of his grandmother's roots. 

But the LTA said Brown did not hold a British passport and had not lived in the country for 24 months, which meant he 'would not have been eligible to represent GB for many years'.   

Speaking at the time, he said: 'Everybody knows there's a lot of trouble with the Jamaican Federation and I couldn't be bothered with that, I tried for 15 years. I'm playing for Germany now.

'It's not a bad thing from them [LTA] or a bad thing from me, it just didn't really happen. I was looking to change from the Jamaican side, not because I'm not Jamaican and not because I don't like it. Of course I'm half-half, I'm proud to be Jamaican and I'm proud to be German.' 

Brown salutes the adoring Centre Court after defeating 14-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal in the game of the tournament so far
Brown salutes the adoring Centre Court after defeating 14-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal in the game of the tournament so far

Brown salutes the adoring Centre Court after defeating 14-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal in the game of the tournament so far

The German celebrates after overcoming the two-time Wimbledon champion as the Centre Court crowd cheers with delight in the background

The German celebrates after overcoming the two-time Wimbledon champion as the Centre Court crowd cheers with delight in the background

The German tennis player, who lit up Centre Court today, pats a giant tattoo after winning the pulsating match at Wimbledon today. Dustin has reportedly said it is a tattoo of his father Leroy; however commentator Andrew Castle said it was the singer Dennis Brown

The German tennis player, who lit up Centre Court today, pats a giant tattoo after winning the pulsating match at Wimbledon today. Dustin has reportedly said it is a tattoo of his father Leroy; however commentator Andrew Castle said it was the singer Dennis Brown

Nadal reflects on his shock defeat
Rafael Nadal looks downbeat after the match

Nadal's face is etched with disappointment after his shock defeat in the second round - it continues his recent dismal run at the SW19

Brown won the hearts of the Wimbledon supporters with his swashbuckling and exciting style of tennis on Centre Court this evening 

Brown won the hearts of the Wimbledon supporters with his swashbuckling and exciting style of tennis on Centre Court this evening 

The flamboyant personality will face Serbian Viktor Troicki, the world number 24 in the third round on Saturday. 

His victory comes the day after he won a mammoth five-set doubles match yesterday that lasted four hours.  

Following his magnificent match this evening, his website crashed and he amassed more than 15,000 new Twitter followers. 

His brilliant win continues Nadal's recent dismal run at SW19. The 29-year-old has now lost in the second, first, fourth and second rounds on his past four visits to Wimbledon.

On each occasion Nadal was beaten by a player outside the world's top 100.

A series of injuries have wrecked the Spaniard's form but the great champion insisted: 'This is not the end'.

Brown, who moved to Jamaica when he was 11, moved back to Germany in 2004 and then toured the European circuit in a VW camper van

Brown, who moved to Jamaica when he was 11, moved back to Germany in 2004 and then toured the European circuit in a VW camper van

Brown (pictured in 2010) left the Jamaican Tennis Federation because of a lack of funding and instead opted to play for Germany that year

Brown (pictured in 2010) left the Jamaican Tennis Federation because of a lack of funding and instead opted to play for Germany that year

DREADLOCKED DESTROYER: THE GERMAN-BORN JAMAICAN WHO ALMOST REPRESENTED GREAT BRITAIN

Where did this lad come from?

Dustin Brown has been in and around the tour for years.

But the 30-year-old has played most of his tournaments on the lower-tier Challenger and Futures circuits. His career-high world ranking is only 78, as his results have never been consistent enough to help him get into the main events on a regular basis.

What is his background?

Brown — nicknamed ‘Dreddy’ for obvious reasons — was born in Germany in 1984 to a Jamaican father and German mother. He lived in Germany until 1996, when he moved to Jamaica, and it was in the Caribbean that he started his tennis career. Brown was unique on the tour in that he used to travel around Europe in a Volkswagen camper van to play the lower-level tournaments.

Sorry! He used to travel in a camper van?

Yes, it is not cheap to travel week after week on the lesser tours. The events have little prize-money and can involve a lot of mileage. To cut down on both travel and accommodation costs, Brown’s parents bought him the Volkswagen camper van which he drove, slept in and cooked in while he travelled on the tours between 2004 and 2007.

Is it true he almost represented Great Britain?

Brown did consider playing for GB at one point, qualifying through paternal British grandparents. A lack of funding and support from the Jamaican tennis association annoyed him and he decided to switch to another nation in 2010. In the end, though, he opted for the country of his birth, Germany.

Any other interesting facts?

Brown last cut his dreadlocked hair almost 19 years ago in August 1996. He regularly listens to RnB, hip-hop and dance on his red headphones. He has a tongue piercing, a green tooth and a portrait tattoo on his torso.

 

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