Safin suffers at hands of Canas

No fairytale return for Becker in Cincinnati

Marat Safin has been sensationally dumped out of the Cincinnati Masters at the first round stage by Argentine Guillermo Canas.

The US Open champion lost 6-3 6-3 and looked a pale shadow of the player who had taken the tennis world by storm last season.

Safin has suffered with a back injury this year, and apart from a good Wimbledon - where he reached the last eight - he has made little impact.

Canas claimed the first set's crucial break in the sixth game. The Argentine then cruised to a 4-0 lead in the second before wrapping things up in the ninth.

It was definitely toasty

Pete Sampras

"I played bad - that's it," said Safin.

"Not many things happened. I'm okay physically and I'm trying but nothing is happening."

Former world number one Pete Sampras defeated Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador 6-3 6-2 in the extremely hot conditions.

"It was a sauna," said Sampras.

"That was probably the hottest conditions I've played in this year. It was definitely toasty."

Eighth seed Pat Rafter beat Albert Portas of Spain 7-5 6-3 and sixth seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov won 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 against Andreas Vinciguerra of Sweden.

Defending champion Thomas Enqvist was easily beaten by Nicolas Kiefer of Germany 6-4 6-0.

Boris Becker's return to the ATP tour was brief as the German and his doubles partner Goran Ivanisevic fell to top-seeded Jonas Bjorkman and Todd Woodbrige 6-3 6-2 in the first round.