MADRID — Rafa Nadal is likely to end the year without a grand slam singles title for the first time since his debut French Open crown in 2005 following his shock Wimbledon exit on Thursday, his uncle and coach Toni has conceded.
Nadal, a 14-times grand slam champion who won Wimbledon in 2008 and 2010, was dumped out by German qualifier Dustin Brown in the second round, the Spaniard's fourth reverse to a player ranked 100th or lower at the All England Club since 2011.
Nadal, 29, has struggled since being sidelined by injury and illness last year and has only two relatively modest titles to his name in 2015 -- Stuttgart and Buenos Aires -- with September's U.