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Canas beats Henman again

By Matthew Cronin
March 18, 2005 10:08 IST
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World number six Tim Henman crashed out of the Pacific Life Open on Thursday, losing his fifth match in six encounters against Argentina's Guillermo Canas, while women's number one Lindsay Davenport romped into the semi-finals with a victory over Nathalie Dechy.

Henman fended off two match points before losing 7-6, 7-5 and Davenport powered past the Frenchwoman 7-6, 6-0.

"I let her back in the (first) set so many times," Davenport said. "I really felt like once I held to get to six-all, I never really looked back from that point."

The 28-year-old American reached the final here last year before losing to Justine Henin-Hardenne and said her level of play had gone up since then.

"I feel very comfortable playing here," said Davenport, who will play the winner of the quarter-final between third seed Maria Sharapova and Mary Pierce.

"I've always loved my time out here and won a lot of matches throughout my career in Indian Wells, and always seem to really get focused and fired up to play here."

While Henman attacked throughout the entire match, his inability to hit his approach shots deep enough and control his groundstrokes proved to be his undoing with 51 unforced errors.

The British number one fought off two match points at 5-4 with a service winner and gorgeous backhand volley, but with his back against the wall at 6-5 and facing another match point, he rushed a forehand approach shot long.

The 27-year-old Canas has now beaten Henman on five successive occasions and will face the winner of the quarter-final between world number one Roger Federer and German Nicolas Kiefer.

The other women's semi-final will pit fourth seed Elena Dementieva against 2003 champion Kim Clijsters.

Friday's men's quarter-finals will feature second seed Lleyton Hewitt against Andre Agassi and third seed Andy Roddick against seventh seed Carlos Moya.

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Matthew Cronin
Source: REUTERS
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