Federer got stunned!It was a lesson for us Federer Fans in humility.In the last few weeks we all have been so caught up with Nadal and his inability to play on hardcourts and seemingly believed that Federer is impervious to defeat and what happens?Well known Argentine druggie back from his ban stuns Roger.!

I didnt happen to see the win but what a great result for Canas!He won his first tournament back a few weeks ago on clay and I have to say with him beating Federer at Indian Wells it puts a damper on Federers possible French Open Dream!

The flip side to this is that after Federer Loses he then go's on to win about 6-7 tournaments.He go's into mad mode!This just puts pressure on him to at least win 1 Masters On clay!

Great win for CANAS.Not only did he make Federer Human he showed me and I hope many other Fed Fanatics that it doesnt take a genius to beat him.I wonder what Roddick must be thinking!!!

Well, we all knew it was going to happen sometime or another, especially in a best-of-three. Even Fed needs a little bit of luck with the draw now and then. He faced a former top ten player who was both hungry and who had already played four matches on the surface. Of course Fed didn't play his best, but that's always going to be difficult in a first round.

Oh, and by the way, once again it has been proven that Fed is vulnerable against serve&volleyers. ;)

As much as I admire Federer and his tennis skill I can only think this result is great for the ATP. Perhaps it will help strip away some of the invincibility that surrounds him and other players will come onto court thinking they might have a chance now rather than already being beaten before they hit a ball.

At the risk of sounding vaguely troll-like - great post Dark!

Well done to Canas - to beat Fed in straight sets is incredibly impressive! I didn't think that Fed looked entirely on top of his game in Dubai, and like Dark said - this just proves that Fed is human. I didn't get to see the match, but from what i've heard Fed may not have been playing 100%, but in the end he's been getting away with not playing 100% in games and winning for a while now (look at his match against Robredo at the AO) - it was only a matter of time before someone took advantage.

I hope you're right Dark and Fed goes on a rampage and takes out everything in his wake now!!!! :)

LOL! The article doing the rounds is that Canas outplayed him from the baseline.And its so funny because he went down before the tourney to Pete Sampras house and played a few matches against him to practice and says that Pete wasnt playing good enough to beat him and then he loses to Canas!

Very funny Dinky,Im waiting for Wise_anal to come deliver his synopsis.I heard the commentators saying that he had an injury time out for severe blisters!So movement was perhaps hindered but its no excuse.I mean days before he was playing with Pete and saying Pete wasnt good enough to beat him and then he gets egg on his face...I hope he wakes up and smells the Red Bull and now starts playing 100%...You cant get away with playing sub standard tennis against hungry players especially comeback druggies!

Well, to be honest I'm not convinced by this 'psychological' thing overall, and I think the Canas match proves it.

Of course it's harder for players who have lost to Roger about 13 times to go out and believe they can win in the beginning, but I think they still go out and take their chances. And if he has an off-day, then he could lose to about any-one in the top 100 if they have a good day (and maybe there's a bit of luck ... Fed actually had set points in the first set against Cañas, and it could have turned out quite differently if he'd taken them, I guess ...)

I guess it can't hurt the other players thinking that 'if Cañas can do it, so can I', but I think it matters more for the fans to see that Fed doesn't *always* win --- the other players will know how tough it is, and that they can always have a chance on the day. It's the matter of taking those chances that really matters, and Cañas managed to do it.

Dinks is that Safin in your signature?

To be fair, though, he did then go and win in the doubles about half an hour later, so the severe blisters can't have been that bad!

umm....yes :blush: he bloody went out too - with a bagel in the final set! I'm not impressed :blink:

I can see you really want Safin!! LOL!

I cant believe he won the doubles.I didnt even know that he was playing doubles!

I've just put all the results up - it was a very bad day to be seeded in Indian Wells yesterday! :huh:

Yes I know...all the seeds were getting tumbled!

I'm shocked-but it just shows, as has rightly been said, that in the minds of the Federer fan (myself included) he'd been built up to be somebody totally unbeatable and invincible!! I'll have to admit to Chet and Wise that I was very wrong with my Fed to win in 2, and eat my humble pie with side portion of my own words! :wacko:

While Federer is head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to skill there is also a pyschological element to it in my opinion. Tennis is a mental game as well as a physical one and for me Federer brings an aura onto the court with him.

I love Feds game, its beautiful and its great to watch, but even I am getting bored or knowing he will win matches before they start. This result is fantastic for me and as you say fantastic for the fans too. As much as I want to see Feds win the slam, I want to see someone push him to it at least.

Darky: :ok: Great initiative :ok: ..My comments are:

1. "was a lesson for us Federer Fans in humility" Fully agree: this is realy important. The man his a great player but he has his own limits (as well up and down) as any human being...Nothing more nothing less

2."Not only did he make Federer Human he showed me and I hope many other Fed Fanatics that it doesnt take a genius to beat him.I wonder what Roddick must be thinking!!!"...

I tend to disagree: Canas yesterday during the second set (the only one I saw) was playing just GREAT Tennis: Canas is not usually a genius but he can have moment of geniality as a lot of players out there (e.g. I really hope Djoko will be able to show to everyone his real value now)...

BTW this factor is also something to discuss:

Tenez:

Could be a factor but not a very important one IMO..In the last year almost at the beginning of each tourney he was facing the possibility of reaching some history records... Still, you are might be right: It could be that the training session with Pete was not a good idea: never play (for two days moreover) with an (old) lion..More seriously might be it was a little bit too much and by so doing he lost some focus..We will never know I guess.

I must say that I agree in the fact that I love seeing Federer win the slams,but I want him to at least have a tussle to win it!This result is great for me as an ardent Federer fan.I am a bit dejected by loss as any fan would be,but there are lots of positives from it!

Please elaborate on the brilliance that he displayed because the news form many articles I read all said that he basically played a better baseline game taking the ball early.That is Agassi play at best.People seem to think that it takes rocket science to beat Federer when Canas comes along with a basic baseline game,albeit a claycourt specialist, and wins!

it's just a little annoying that it was a straight set loss - not a 3 set epic match :(

True Dinky....What is on that board of Safins?What possessed him to do this naked bit?Its abit suspect! roflmao

it's actually a youtube video........

Facing Federer - credits

It's some documentary or something they made, and Safin is......ummmmm.......the credits :D so on the box it says someone's name and then their job

Ok...but he has to be an extrovert!

yeah, i know :wub: :P

Question guys,how mant TMS Titles will Federer win this year?After this loss Im a bit wondering!

I'd expect at least 4 Masters Tournament wins this year from Fed if not more still.

Interestingly Canas now holds a 2-1 H2H record with Feds. You can't read a great deal into that I know, but it would be worth some opponents looking at how Canas plays against him perhaps...

Answer 1. I don't care, as long as he wins the slams!

Answer 2. About as many as last year, I wouldn't be surprised. He's going to win at least one clay TMS this year (I hope!), so that'll make up for losing Indian Wells. Also, he didn't play Hamburg or Paris last year, and also 'crashed out' of Cincy. Now, I'm not sure I see him pushing very hard for Hamburg, and the Canada-Cincy double :yikes: is always a toughie (although I wouldn't rule it out at this point). However, he hasn't won Paris, and I think he'll be motivated to be there and healthy this year.

Canas did a bit more than baseline --- he was quite willing to come into the net at key points, and did so well.

However, I would tend to say that he didn't really have to hit particularly brilliant shots --- there were some flashes of extraordinary play from him, but by and large he really only needed to keep the ball in play long enough for Fed to make an UE.

Canas made very few unforced errors, but I think (I didn't see the statistics) very few winners as well.

I also epect at least 4,but 1 on clay! Thats head to head means nothing really,but we also said that about Nadal when he was at that stage and then what happened!

Canas from what I gather didnt really play that brilliant so its gonna be hard for people to really learn from him other than from I was told,they just need to keep the ball in play!

You can rule Paris out becausethe week before that he is defending at Basel!

Another affirmation that he didnt play brilliant.Like I said it doesnt take a genius to beat Federer.Like Christina Aguilera's album states "Back To Basics".......Thats what everyone needs to do is go back to basics and not believe that they need to play out of their backside to win!

Ok I elaborate Darky ;) : Being genius in Tennis sometime it is really to understand clearly what is the best strategy given the weakness of your opponent. In the case of Canas yesterday, and once again I saw only the second set, I had really the feeling that he simply capitalize what he learned in the first set, i.e. FED was not at the top and he was playing quite poorly on long rallies..

Canas did simply apply his battle plan given the poor performance of FED: accept the long rallies and let, as mightyjeditribble rightly pointed out, FED doing some UE...

Now, look Darky, last year at the final in Toronto Gasquet had more or less the same opportunity: He was playing very well during the first set he was smart enough to see that FED and he was able to move on with a very similar game plan: accept the long rallies...Unfortunately for him (and bset for us FED's fans I should say), and this was the main difference with yesterday, there was a turning point at the beginning of the second:

FED was able to save 3 break points at the beginning of the second and then he took Gasquet's serve: IMO yesterday simply FED was not able to have such a turning point in the second and Canas was strong enough to keep him focus and stay calm (might be this was the main difference between Canas and Gasquet: Experience)...

BTW: How many Master..I do not care: I hope he will able to do the Slam this is what matters.. :rolleyes:

That explanation in itself doesnt describe brilliance from anyone.Its basic tennis.And we can agree that Basics is brilliance then so be it.

I also hope that he can win the slam this year but given that loss,things are looking grim.Im now really wondering what is going to happen!

Morning all... beautiful day today, don't you think? :D

Few words to follow up my commentary on this match last night... first and foremost, well done to Canas. I repeat - Federer wasn't playing badly last night. He didn't play his best obviously, but so many times I've seen him play below par only for his choking opponent to gift-wrap the match for him regardless. He really struggled with Canas's style of play; defence and more defence with some good counter-punching. Federer saw Canas wasn't going to fold too, when he saved the set point in the first, and his level propmtly dropped. If only there were more players with Canas's mental strength around, people might realise a thing or two...

Secondly, I'm happy that Federer showed some humility in the interview. Ugly rumours about injuries and him playing at 10% had started to circulate - utter nonsense. He was outplayed. The best of Federer is obviously better than the best of Canas, but Federer doesn't often play his best stuff; fortunately his choking opponents help him out most of the time in that respect.

Finally - Sara. I've cooked your pie and the table is laid. Bon appetit :P

Wise, I have said-and will say again, as I don't anticipate saying it further his season :D-that I am ready to eat a plate of humble pie, with two large sides of my words and egg.

If only I hadn't been quite so pompous about a routine Federer victory...there is a clearly a lesson in that....

:whistle:

While I will agree that he does play sub standard tennis at times and gets away with it,I will definetly disagree with you and your choke epidemic.Thats a whole load of rubbish!Canas played like he had nothing to lose and thats the key.Underdog wanting to enjoy playing with no expectancy.Thats what the players need to do when they get onto the court with Federer,have no expectancy!

Sara,enjoy that pie....

I'll have to try and see the "high-lights"...I'd like to see exactly what went on, especially his UE.

Still, I don't think this will upset the Fed-Express...it'll make things more interesting if Rafa wins, confidence boost for him-and a cracking clay court season.

Wise, Chet-it must be like Christmas Day!! BBC is inundated with threads! :yikes:

I'm loving the BBC News 24 reports on this - starts with the words "Roger Federer actually lost a tennis match." No "Federer lost in the second round of Indian Wells" - just the fact that he actually lost a match of any type roflmao

I totally agree...if you play Federer with no expectancy, then it's a major advantage. Turning it into tantamount to climbing Everest means an automatic disadvantage before stepping foot on the court. I do think there are some players who "choke", but this is not just cause/effect Federer-it's endemic to their mental attitude towards the game.

Having consumed humble pie, I can now say that being a little more objective about Feds genius will be the order of the day going forward... :D

What's wonderfully ironic is that for the first time in living memory there wasn't a "Crusading Canas to Crucify Federer" type thread on the BBC board...

Personally, I blame Federer's preparation for this event. He really must get himself some quality practice partners... :whistle:

Reminded me a bit of Sampras' 1994 defeat to unknown Jaime Yzaga...



Anyway, how long do these drugs take to leave his system? :P

Good on you Saraless,though I cant see how much more objective could possibly get unless the pie from Wise gives you some of his
objectivity.... :D

This is some of the crap doing rounds on the BBC from the good doctor...I wonder why he hasnt ventured here :whistle:

Absolutely not Sara. I understand the sentiments behind playing Federer with no expectancy, but that's a ridiculous notion. Professional tennis players should not go out on court expecting to lose in any circumstances; the fact that they do is merely proof that this is a weak era.

Murray in Cinci and Nadal on clay; the one thing they have in common is that they go out on court expecting to beat Federer, and I bet Canas did the same. Playing with no expectancy might get you a respectable scoreline, but it doesn't deserve to get you a win. The one circumstance in which it might help a player is Roddick; he always goes out full of confidence, and his hopes are always shattered. Maybe Gonzalez too. But the rest of these guys with head-to-heads which aren't quite so lop-sided need to go out there and show Federer that they think they're going to beat him. As others have proven in the past, the Swiss doesn't like this and will often fold.