Rafael Nadal (left) became the highest-profile casualty of this year's Wimbledon tonight after slumping to a 7-5 3-6 6-4 6-4 defeat to dreadlocked German Dustin Brown (centre and right). Tenth seed Nadal (watched on by girlfriend Xisca Perello, inset), the 2008 and 2010 champion in SW19, lost his only previous encounter with Brown on grass in Halle last year - and he fell to the flamboyant world number 102 once again.
Brown's unconventional style included shots that will not be found in any tennis coaching manual, but it made for a thrilling spectacle against the out-of-form Spaniard, who had been a possible quarter-final opponent for Andy Murray. Centre Court spectators were torn between cheering the ever-popular Nadal, an enduring favourite, or the showman Brown who revealed a large tattoo of reggae singer Dennis Brown on his torso when changing his top. Speaking after the finest victory of his career, the 30-year-old said: 'My plan was to come here and play good tennis. I didn't think about anything past that.'
Speaking after the finest victory of his career, the 30-year-old said: 'Coming playing the first time on Centre Court. It was awkward. I thought I would freak out a bit.
'I don't know if it was the match in Halle (a warm-up event in Germany where he beat Nadal) but being on the court with him made me feel comfortable. You have to play your A-game against him. I have nothing to lose playing him. That makes it easier for me, playing my shots. But if I lose no one's going to say anything bad. My game doesn't let him play his game.'
He added: 'My plan was to come here and play good tennis. I didn't think about anything past that.'
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'.
The German world 102 punches the air after his magnificent four-set victory over the two-time Wimbledon champion on Centre Court
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