World number one Roger Federer suffered a shock defeat to Fernando Gonzalez to put his Masters Cup defence in doubt on Monday.
SHANGHAI: World number one Roger Federer suffered a shock defeat to Fernando Gonzalez to put his Masters Cup defence in doubt on Monday.
The Swiss triple champion raced to a one-set lead but then lost a second-set tie-breaker by a mile before being edged out by the gutsy Chilean 3-6, 7-6 (7/1), 7-5 in front of a disbelieving Qi Zhong Stadium crowd.
It was a disastrous display from the 12-time Grand Slam winner, who had never lost a round-robin match at the season finale and enjoyed a 10-0 record against the seventh-ranked Chilean.
Federer started in typically ruthless fashion, breaking Gonzalez in his first game before wrapping up the first set in just 29 minutes.
However Gonzalez stalled the charge, taking the second set to a tie-breaker where Federer suffered an uncharacteristic implosion, fluffing an overhead and playing a panicky lob.
In the deciding set, Federer staved off break points in the third and fifth games but was broken for 6-5 as Gonzalez hammered ground strokes at the Swiss before finishing with a deft volley.
Gonzalez, 27, raced to 40-0 in the next game and sealed a famous victory as Federer hooked a forehand wide.
Federer's second defeat in as many matches -- after losing to David Nalbandian in the Paris Masters quarters -- adds rare spice to the season finale, where the overwhelming favourite was considered a shoo-in for his fourth title.
The 26-year-old Federer won the Masters Cup in 2003, 2004 and 2006, falling to Lleyton Hewitt in the 2002 semis and losing a marathon final to Nalbandian in 2005.
Gonzalez is making his second appearance at the Masters Cup after playing as an alternate in 2005.
Earlier, troubled Russian Nikolay Davydenko's horror season continued when he was hammered by racquet-breaking Andy Roddick.
Davydenko, the subject of an ATP betting probe, rallied from a set down to win the second, prompting the angry American to smash his racquet on the floor.
But the Russian collapsed in the decider, losing 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in two hours and two minutes.
It was an impressive performance from the fifth-ranked Roddick, who has been labouring with foot and knee problems, playing only one tournament and the Davis Cup semi-final since the US Open in August.
He shrugged off the racquet incident, saying tantrums were part of his game.
"As far as smashing racquets, you know, for as many times as it's helped me, it's hurt me that many times also," Roddick said.
"But, you know, it's just part of my personality. I've always been pretty expressive and emotional on the court. Sometimes it helps, sometimes not so much."
But the result spells further bad news for Davydenko, who has been questioned along with his wife and brother over a match he played in Poland in August.
Gambling website Betfair refused to pay out after unusually large sums were wagered on his opponent, 74th-ranked Argentine Martin Vassallo Arguello, who lost the first set but was handed the match when Davydenko retired injured.
The 26-year-old was then fined for not trying at St. Petersburg and warned by the umpire for again sending down multiple double faults against Marcos Baghdatis in Paris. He later blamed an elbow injury.
Since the Betfair controversy, several players have revealed illegal betting approaches, suggesting a widespread problem in the sport.
On Saturday, Italy's Alessio di Mauro was banned for nine months and fined 60,000 dollars for betting on matches, the first player penalised under the ATP's Anti-Corruption Programme.
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