Canas back with a bang

Guillermo Canas started the long climb back up the ATP rankings after serving a 15-month doping ban with victory at a Challenger Series tournament in Brazil.

Canas, the former world number eight who forfeited 525 singles rankings points as part of his punishment for failing a drugs test last year, beat fellow Argentinian Carlos Berlocq 4-6 6-2 7-6 (11-9).

Canas survived four match points to win the three-hour epic after returning from his ban last Monday and being handed a wildcard into the tournament.

Canas was originally suspended for two years by the ATP in August 2005 after testing positive for the banned diuretic hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) at a tournament in Acapulco six months earlier.

The ban was reduced to 15 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), who accepted that Canas had been given the substance in error by tournament staff after a doctor accidentally prescribed medication containing the banned substance.

Canas defeated Jonathan Medina Alvarez of Venezuela and Brazilians Marcos Daniel, Andre Sa and Ricardo Mello on route to the final and will make his return to the rankings in 515th place on Monday.