Federer struck again by Canas lightning

By Bill Scott Mar 28, 2007, 7:03 GMT

Guillermo Canas of Argentina (R) shakes hands with Roger Federer of Switzerland (L) following their fourth round match of the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Florida Tuesday 27 March 2007. Unseeded Canas upset the number one seed Federer 7-6, 2-6, 7-6. EPA/KARCH SMITH

Miami - Guillermo Canas stunned Roger Federer for the second time in 15 days as the aggressive Argentine scratched out a 7-6 (7- 2), 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) fourth-round victory Tuesday at the Miami Masters.

The major upset over the Swiss was the second in succession for the 55th-ranked Argentine, who has roared back to form after serving a 15-month doping ban that ended in the autumn.

Canas tagged Federer in Miami in front of a wildly partisan crowd of Latin Americans, the top seed exiting in two hours, 38 minutes after converting only a quarter of his 16 break points and committing more than 50 unforced errors.

Canas proved that his win earlier this month at Indian Wels was no fluke. That win ended a 41-match win streak for the number 1.

It was only the fifth time in his career that Federer has lost back-to-back to the same player.

'I didn't think about it,' Federer said of his Indian Wells loss. 'I knew this match would be totally different. I expected myself to win tonight. It's one of those matches I should have never lost.'

Canas, winner of seven titles, will next face Spaniard Tommy Robredo, who outlasted Radek Stepanek 7-6 (7-4), 5-7, 7-6 (7-3).

Federer dropped the first set in a tiebreaker, then charged back in the second.

Looking well in control, the usually impeccable Swiss began the third set with a break but lost it for 3-all. When the set went to a tiebreaker, Canas rose to the occasion. Federer saved one match point before Canas sent an ace past to win.

'I was in total control after I broke back in the first set,' said Federer. 'I'm happy with my level of play but disappointed to lose. He's improved and tightened up his game. I couldn't put him away, unfortunately.'

American Andy Roddick and Scotland's Andy Murray set up a seventh career encounter, with Murray performing heroics to get past Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu 2-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Roddick, the favoured third seed, beat Spain's David Ferrer 7-5, 6-3.

Murray saved two match points in the second set against Mathieu and finally got the victory on his own fourth try, improving to 22-4 on the season. Yet the 19-year-old was critical of his performance.

'Everybody plays bad sets, but it's how you manage to turn it around. I left it a little bit close today, but it was one of those matches where you just had to keep hanging in,' said Murray.

Women's 13th seed Serena Williams, a three-time winner, inflicted another devastating defeat on Maria Sharapova, crushing the Russian 6-1, 6-1 to reach the quarter-finals.

The rout came less than two months after the American won the Australian Open title over Sharapova 6-1, 6-2.

'I'm definitely a fighter and so is she,' said Sharapova.

'I definitely don't like to lose, and I'm sure she doesn't, either. Whoever is playing, you've got to be ready if you want to be the champion. You've got to be ready to play against the best players. You've got to expect the best from your opponents.'

Sharapova never earned a break point and lost her own serve five times.

Williams will next face a rerun of an Australian Open semi-final when she plays Czech eighth seed Nicole Vaidisova.

'I know if I'm playing well, then anything can happen,' said the self-assured Williams.

'I believe there could be a similar score if I'm playing well. She was playing tough in the first few games. I was hitting a little crazy, not feeling the ball, but after that, I started hitting better.'

Williams has now won her last three matches over two-time grand Slam champion Sharapova.

Russian ninth seed Anna Chakvetadze became the first into the semi-finals, powering back to defeat China's Li Na, the number 15, 4- 6, 7-5, 6-2.