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3/8/08 6:28 PM | Ricky Dimon
It will be the first-ever head-to-head matchup between Guillermo Canas and Sam Querrey when the two players do battle in the semifinals of the Tennis Channel Open. A stark contrast in styles will be on display, so the Las Vegas faithful should have an extremely interesting contest on their hands.
After missing the start of 2008 with a wrist injury, Canas is beginning to regain the form that allowed him to be the spring sensation on last year’s U.S. hard-court tour. The Argentine stunned Roger Federer in consecutive tournaments and reached the final of the Masters Series event in Miami. This week in Las Vegas he impressively took out Thomas Johansson in the opening round before scoring a relatively routine 6-2, 7-5 victory over big-serving Aussie Chris Guccione. Canas took care of another big server, Amer Delic, 6-4, 6-4 in a Friday quarterfinal match.
On Saturday Canas will have to deal with another power player in Querrey. The fast-rising American owns one of the biggest serves in tennis and he consistently blasts more aces than almost anyone on tour. It hasn’t been completely smooth sailing, however, for Querrey this week in Las Vegas. He survived a huge test from Sebastien Grosjean in a two hours and four minute first-round battle, coming through 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(8) after saving one match point at 7-8 in the third-set tiebreaker. His next two contests were far easier. Querrey erased Nicolas Kiefer 6-3, 6-1 in just 58 minutes and then eased past Julien Benneteau 7-6, 6-2 in the quarterfinals.
But in Canas, Querrey will be dealing with a player who can deal with his power in a way that none of the first three opponents could. Canas made just one unforced error in the entire first set against Delic and did not commit another until the fifth game of the second set. Such solid play will no doubt frustrate Querrey and most likely force him into going for winners earlier in points than he would like. This is going to be a close match, but Canas proved last spring that when he gets into a groove, he is almost impossible to beat with anything less than perfect tennis. He is not at that same level in Las Vegas, but he is clearly getting there, and that spells trouble for Querrey.
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Did you know that... Gustavo Kuerten was ranked 66th in the world when he won the French Open in 1997.
kaitepai, Dec 2, 2008 9:14 PM
Casper, Dec 2, 2008 6:28 PM
RickyDimon, Dec 2, 2008 5:57 PM
tennisgirl, Dec 1, 2008 11:48 PM
lendl, Dec 1, 2008 6:17 PM
Casper, Dec 2, 2008 8:23 PM
Casper, Dec 2, 2008 8:02 PM
Casper, Dec 2, 2008 7:27 PM
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Guillermo Canas 
Sam Querrey 
Tennis Channel Open