Tim Henman crashed out of the French Open following a five set defeat to Argentinian Guillermo Canas at Roland Garros this afternoon. The British number one was beaten 4-6 6-4 6-4 3-6 7-5 in a marathon session that lasted three hours and 26 minutes.
Henman started well taking the first set 6-4 before his aggressive game faltered to allow the 23-year-old Argentinian to take the next two sets. Henman had lost to Canas in straight sets in the first round of the US Open two years ago so he was well aware of the potential.
Despite fighting back to claim the fourth set, and saving a break point on his serve in the fourth game of the decider, Henman fell after he failed to break Canas in the eleventh. In the end it proved decisive for in the next game Canas produced three screaming winners to take the set and the match in the most dramatic climax to an absorbing encounter.
Meanwhile, fourth seed Juan Carlos Ferrero and number seven Yevgeny Kafelnikov eased into the last 16 with victories over Jacobo Diaz and Olivier Rochus today. Ferrero overcame a second set blip to oust fellow Spaniard Diaz 6-1 6-7 6-1 6-2 while Kafelnikov crushed Belgium's Olivier Rochus 7-6 6-4 6-3.
Filed by Shane Murray
