Stunned Nadal lost for ideas

By Ossian Shine

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Rafael Nadal was not quite lost for words following his thrashing in the Australian Open semi-finals -- but he was lost for ideas.

The world number two was hammered into submission 6-2 6-3 6-2 by muscular Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Thursday and was left stunned by the defeat.

"We have to accept today he played unbelievable. Playing the ball very hard every time, serving unbelievable," the Spaniard shrugged.

"In the backhand he didn't miss not one. Forehand, every time he does the forehand was a winner, so congratulate him.

"That's it."

Nadal had thought he was playing well enough to win the tournament.

That was before he ran into man-mountain Tsonga, the unseeded world number 38.

"I was playing very fine, very good, but not for beating Tsonga tonight," Nadal said, shaking his head.