/ 12 March 2007

Federer stunned at Indian Wells

Three time defending champion Roger Federer was poised to make history at the Pacific Life Open Master Series, but somebody forgot to tell Guillermo Canas.

Argentina’s Canas ended Federer’s bid to break the all-time consecutive match winning streak, upsetting the Swiss superstar 7-5, 6-2 in the second round of the $5,3-million hardcourt tournament on Sunday.

”I dreamed about this but I didn’t expect it,” said Canas, who got into the draw as a lucky loser. ”It is my first Masters Series tournament since I started again and to win against the number one in the world and to play like this is great for me.”

Federer (25) had won 41 straight ATP Tour matches, and six more would have set an ATP record of 47 consecutive wins, breaking another Argentine Guillermo Vilas’ record of 46, set 30 years ago.

”He just kept the ball in play and moving me around,” Federer said of Canas. ”He put me away when he had to. He played the perfect match. The right guy won today.”

Federer, who had a first-round bye, called for the trainer twice in Sunday’s match — once at the end of first set and at 2-3 in the second set for a slight foot and tape problem.

Federer said he had some blisters on his toes but he wasn’t making excuses.

”I didn’t get into the second set at all. I missed all the big opportunities to put pressure on him. I hate taking timeouts. I hate doing it,” Federer said.

The 29-year-old Canas is the first lucky loser to beat a world number one since Sandon Stolle stopped Thomas Muster in the first round of an ATP Dubai tournament 11 years ago.

Canas just returned to competition in September after a 15-month drug suspension that stripped him of his dignity and left him in financial ruin.

”Today I played very well. I had a chance and I took it,” Canas said. ”I have a lot of confidence in my game.”

The biggest question in tennis over the past 12 months has been how to beat Federer while he is on his blazing win streak.

While Canas couldn’t pinpoint the secret of his success, he certainly savoured it.

”I don’t know how I did it. I beat him, and I will enjoy it,” said Canas. ”Tonight I will celebrate with my coach and my friends.”

Federer wilted under the hot desert sun, never getting untracked in the one hour, 45 minute match in front of a crowd of about 12 000 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Federer had his serve broken four times in the match, including the third game of the second set to go down 2-1. He was also broken in the 11th game of the first as Canas closed out the set by winning three straight games.

Canas’ comeback continues into the third round at Indian Wells where he will face former 1998 French Open champ Carlos Moya of Spain.

He captured his seventh career ATP title last month in Brazil and is off to an impressive 11-2 start in 2007.

Both Vilas and Canas are from Argentina and when asked if he expected to receive a thank you from Vilas, Canas said, ”maybe. I will let you know tomorrow.”

Canas had been banned after he was found to have taken the prohibited diuretic hydrochlorothiazide at Acapulco, Mexico in February 2005, where he was beaten by Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals.

His suspension was cut to 15 months after he argued that the substance was contained in medication given to him by a tournament doctor to treat a cold. The ban started in June 2005 and ended in September 2006.

He had to go through several lawyers and hundreds of thousands of dollars on his appeal.

”I spent over $700 000 fighting the decision. I lost a lot in the last 15 months,” he said.

During that time the ATP said he was not welcome at any of their tournaments either.

It really sunk in when Canas tried to attend the 2005 US Open in New York to watch his former girlfriend compete and the organisers turned him away.

”I felt like shit,” Canas said. ”It was a big mistake for the ATP. My girlfriend was playing and I couldn’t get in.

”In the end we did a good job of proving I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Also through to the next round was British number one Andy Murray, 2002 Wimbledon runner-up David Nalbandian and fifth seed Fernando Gonzalez.

Former world number ones Lleyton Hewitt, of Australia, and Russia’s Marat Safin were eliminated in the second round.

In the women’s tournament reigning US Open champ Maria Sharapova, of Russia, advanced to the fourth round with a 7-5, 6-2 win over France’s Nathalie Dechy.

Former Indian Wells champ Daniela Hantuchova, Chinese number one Li Na and seventh seeded Jelena Jankovic also moved on. – Sapa-AFP