Melbourne - Rafael Nadal said he ran out of time to make up ground after a poor start against Tomas Berdych, as the Czech bundled the third seed out of the Australian Open on Tuesday 6-2, 6-0, 7-6 (7-5).
The quarter-final loss was one of the most comprehensive of Nadal's grand slam career, featuring his first losing love set at a major since 2006 against Roger Federer.
Nadal, who took a tablet and looked to be favouring his right leg at times, refused to blame any physical complaint for his defeat in two and a quarter hours.
The Spaniard said a poor start cost him any chance at victory over the on-fire Czech seventh seed.
“I'm feeling okay, it just was not my day,” said Nadal. “I didn't play with the right intensity, with the right rhythm, and the opponent played better than me.
“I didn't play my best today, he played better than me and that's it. That's the sport.
“Almost every time, it's simple: the player who plays better, the player who is able to maintain the better rhythm, the better concentration, plays with less mistakes, is the player who has more success. And today this player has been Tomas.”
Nadal made a recovery in the third set but was unable to follow it through as Berdych converted on a fourth match point.
“In the third, I was able to maintain the rhythm of the ball, to try to put one more ball inside. If I'm able to do that for two hours and a half, three hours, then he can feel the pressure, he can feel more tired when he's going for the shots.
“I tested him for one hour, for a set. He is a top player. You have to play well to win against a player like Tomas.”
Nadal has played little over the past six months due to injuries and came to Melbourne with a first-round loss in Doha.
“It's not the first time in my career I have been injured, it's not the first time that I have felt bad when I am coming back.
“When you are coming back from an injuries you lose more easily the (winning) feeling than when you are on rhythm, when you are with no injuries, when you are confident in yourself that you played a lot of matches.”
Sapa-dpa