Federer floored by Nalbandian

David Nalbandian fought back from two sets down to stun world number one Roger Federer and win the season-ending Masters Cup yesterday in China.

David Nalbandian's 6-7 6-7 6-2 6-1 7-6 victory - only Federer's fourth defeat all year - snapped the Swiss maestro's 35-match winning streak and denied him a share of John McEnroe's professional-era record for a season of 82-3 set in 1984.

After receiving a cheque for $1.4 million, and the keys to a new Mercedes car, Nalbandian told Federer he was only keeping the trophy warm for him.

"Roger, don't worry. You're going to win lots of tournaments," he joked after winning his second title of 2005 and only the fourth of his career.

"So let me keep this one."

Federer was typically magnanimous despite the painful manner of his defeat.

"I congratulate David for coming back from the two tiebreaks, which was tough," he told the crowd in Shanghai.

"He got me and he totally deserved to win tonight."

Nalbandian, the world number 12, had looked finished at two sets down but he hit back with some sparkling tennis as an exhausted Federer faded in the next two sets.

The Swiss valiantly fought back from 4-0 down in the fifth set and served for the title at 6-5 but Nalbandian battled back again to force a decisive tiebreak.

Nalbandian, the first Argentine to reach the final since Guillermo Vilas in 1974, won it 7-3 to seal victory after four hours, 33 minutes for the biggest title of his career.

Federer, playing his first tournament since injuring his ankle last month, had won his last 24 tournament finals dating back to October 2003 until falling to Nalbandian.

He had also won his last four matches against Nalbandian, including the opening match of the Masters Cup last weekend. The Argentine had won their first five meetings.

Federer also failed in his bid to become only the third man to win the season-ending extravaganza three years in a row.

Only Ilie Nastase in 1971-73 and Ivan Lendl in 1985-87 had previously achieved the feat.

Meanwhile, the ATP yesterday denied that Argentine Gaston Gaudio had not been trying during his 6-0 6-0 Masters Cup humiliation by Federer in Saturday's semi-finals.

Federer's victory was the first whitewash in the 35-year history of the season-ending championships and raised further questions about the quality of the injury-hit tournament.

"I think if you talk to Gaston today, he's probably gutted," ATP chairman Etienne de Villiers told reporters.

"It's just humiliating. Nobody wants to go out and be humiliated, and he was humiliated. I don't think he wasn't trying - I just think it's one of those things that happens."

List of Masters champions since '70

List of champions at the season-ending tennis Masters Cup which came to a close yesterday in Shanghai...