Steve Darcis celebrates his win over Rafael Nadal (below) during their first round match at 2013 Wimbledon Championships in London yesterday. (AFP & Reuters)


Agencies/London


Lightning struck twice for Rafa Nadal at Wimbledon as the Spanish 12-times grand slam champion suffered a shock first round defeat by Belgian outsider Steve Darcis yesterday.
A year after losing to Czech Lukas Rosol in the second round, Nadal was outplayed by 135th-ranked Darcis on Court One, losing 7-6(4) 7-6(8) 6-4 in front of a disbelieving crowd.
Fifth seed Nadal, who had never lost in the first round of a grand slam tournament before, served for the second set but Darcis hit back to move two sets in front.
With Nadal, bidding for a third Wimbledon title, struggling to find his form and appearing to be struggling physically, Darcis then broke early in the third set and held his nerve to record the biggest win of his career.
The 29-year-old secured victory with a booming ace.
“Rafa did not play his best match here, it is hard when it is your first match on grass,” Darcis said after stepping off court. “I just wanted to play my own game, coming to the net and not playing far from the baseline.
“I have always played well on grass, perhaps not here where I have had some tough draws, but I am really happy. I do not know what to say.”
Darcis was the lowest-ranked player to beat Nadal for seven years, meaning the Spaniard became the first reigning French Open champion to lose in the first round of Wimbledon since Gustavo Kuerten suffered a first-round exit in 1997.
Roger Federer began his bid for a record eighth Wimbledon title with a 69-minute demolition of Victor Hanescu as Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka also moved into the second round.
Federer, 31, swept to a 6-3, 6-2, 6-0 win on Centre Court to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his first triumph at the All England Club.
The seven-time champion Swiss fired 32 winners and just six unforced errors as he clinched a sixth career victory over the 47th-ranked Romanian.
“It’s the most special thing to be back on Centre Court,” said Federer, playing in his 55th straight Grand Slam and seeking an 18th major.
“I still enjoy it out there. It was a pleasure to play and I’m very happy to get the first round out of the way.
“I am not sure how much better I could have played. It was good to get it done quickly as it was cold and it released some of the pressure.”
Federer came into Wimbledon on the back of his first title of 2013 in Halle, the grasscourt win taking him level with John McEnroe on 77 career titles. He next plays Sergiy Stakhovsky of the Ukraine for a place in the last 32.
Maria Sharapova put her bitter public feud with Serena Williams to one side to reach the second round.
The 2004 Wimbledon champion was given a stern test by France’s Kristina Mladenovic but the Russian third seed eventually triumphed 7-6 (5), 6-3 on Centre Court.
Second seed Azarenka, a semi-finalist in 2011 and 2012, moved into second round, beating Portugal’s world number 106 Maria Joao Koehler 6-1, 6-2.
The 23-year-old Belarusian, the reigning Australian Open champion, broke down in tears after suffering a worrying fall in the second game of the second set on Court One as her right leg gave way in her service action.
Azarenka collapsed in crippling pain before her match was delayed by 10 minutes for her to have her right knee heavily strapped.
Italian fifth seed Sara Errani became the first major casualty of this year’s Wimbledon when she slumped to a 6-3, 6-2 defeat to Puerto Rican teenager Monica Puig.