Rafael Nadal and his coach Toni Nadal agreed that this Wimbledon felt like a missed opportunity after the Spaniard suffered a narrow five-set defeat to Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller in the fourth round on Monday

The fourth-seeded Rafa entered the match having won his last 28 consecutive completed sets at the Grand Slams, but dropped the opening two against Muller before falling 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 15-13 in a 4hr 48min marathon on Court No. 1.

Rafa, who hasn’t made it past the fourth round at Wimbledon since 2011, fired 77 winners, including 23 aces, and committed just 17 unforced errors across five sets, but still walked away the loser against a brilliant Muller, who is into his first quarter-final at the All England Club at the age of 34.

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“I lost in the fourth round. That’s not the result that I was expecting. It’s true that I played some good matches, but the same time is true that I didn’t want to lose that match. So is tough to analyse that in a positive way right now,” said a visibly disappointed Rafa.

“Difficult to say. Yeah, I won matches. I play better than other years, true. At the same time I was ready for important things, so I lost an opportunity.”

His uncle and coach Toni echoed his thoughts, saying: “Yes it is (a missed opportunity). This year we arrived here with a better level, with more confidence. But now it’s time to think about the next tournaments.”

Muller saved 14 of the 16 break points he faced during the match, including all five he faced in the deciding fifth set. The No16 seed hit 95 winners against 52 unforced errors and won 59/83 points at the net.

“He played well. I think I didn’t play my best the first two sets. I make a couple mistakes that make me then play all the time against the score. And that’s so difficult against a player like him,” said Rafa.

“So well done for him. He played well. Especially in the fifth, he played great game. I was there, fighted until the last ball, with the right attitude. Probably was not my best match, but at the same time I played against a very uncomfortable opponent.

“Is stupid to say now, but maybe if I had that break at the first set, third or fourth game, maybe we are in a completely different situation. But I didn’t.

“But I was there, too. I had some important breakpoints, these kind of breakpoints are almost match points. I had a couple of ones. I make few mistakes, yeah, especially one that I went to the net. Easy to say now, but I am better than him from the baseline, so I probably should not go to the net that early with that shot.

“Then another one that I wanted to play aggressive with my forehand, and I miss it long. That’s it. Another one, second serve, I had a good return. The line (judge) said out, and was good. That was another one that then was an ace.”

Toni noted that Rafa did not pull off enough returns on the Muller serve in the first two sets and admits it is a painful defeat for the Spaniard, but one he shouldn’t dwell upon too much.

“Every loss is painful but when you lose 15-13 in the fifth at a tournament of this magnitude of course it’s painful. It’s not the same obviously to lose in the fourth round compared to losing in a final but it still hurts,” explained Toni.

“Because it’s a fourth round match, he won’t think about it too much. Now it’s normal to think about it because he thinks he could win this point, or if the line judge didn’t make this mistake maybe he can win, but it’s not the same as losing in the final in Australia.”

Despite the defeat, Rafa showed a high level in the opening three rounds, perhaps displaying some form on grass he hadn’t been able to produce in many years.

Does Toni think Rafa has the belief he can win a third Wimbledon crown in the future?

“I hope, but I don’t know. But I think if Rafael played like this year, he can have the possibility to win Wimbledon again,” said the Mallorcan coach.

Muller ended a 22-match losing streak against top-five opposition, dating back to 2008. The 34-year-old is enjoying a great 2017, where he won his first two ATP titles, in Sydney, and more recently on grass at s-Hertogenbosch.

He has a tour-leading 11-1 win-loss on grass this season and next faces Marin Cilic for a place in what would be his first Grand Slam semi-final.

“I just tried to hang in there,” said Muller of his epic battle with Rafa. “I thought I played pretty well through the whole match. Rafa stepped it up in the third and the fourth set.

“Then I just told myself, ‘Look, I mean, I’m doing the best I can. I’m playing well. Just hang in there and you’re going to get your chances’. Got a few of them. Didn’t take the first ones. But still kept believing. Yeah, somehow in the end I made it.”