rogerfederer.com - Back-to-back loss

Back-to-back loss

"I was in total control after I broke back in the first set. 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." These were Roger’s words after the second defeat against Agrentina’s Guillermo Canas: 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-7 (5) this season, at the Miami Masters.

Looking well in control, our number one 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. Roger saved one match point before Canas sent an ace past to win. Having come closer this time, but converting only a quarter of his 16 break points and committing more than 50 unforced errors, Roger saw himself in front of a hard task. It is only the fifth time in his career that he has lost back-to-back to the same player.

"I didn't think about it," Roger 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."

Next up is the start of the clay season with Monte Carlo in mid-April.