Beijing: US tennis player James Blake was understandably upset when a blatant act of shoddy sportsmanship on the part of his opponent cost him an entry into the final.

The 28-year-old conqueror of Roger Federer was leading 9-8 near the end of a closely contested match when he hit a rasping forehand toward Chilean opponent Fernando Gonzales at the net. The ball landed out but Blake was convinced it went off Gonzales' racket.

Eighth-seeded Blake had an acrimonious argument with the chair umpire who awarded the point to the South American.

Dismiss

Hard done by: James Blake reacts after losing a point to Fernando Gonzalez of Chile in the semi-final on Friday  AFP

Television replays suggested the ball had gone off his racquet, but Gonzales tried to dismiss the incident, saying he was so tired he was unaware whether the ball had touched his racquet or not.

A distraught Blake, who lost 4-6, 7-5, 11-9 after holding three match points, said after the match: "Playing in the Olympics, in what is considered to be a gentleman's sport, that's a time to call it to yourself.

"Fernando looked me square in the eye and didn't call it. If it had happened the other way I would never have finished the match because my father would have pulled me off the court.

"We know when it touches us. And he knew that. So that's where it comes into calling it on yourself. Should I expect him to do that? Maybe not.

"It's a disappointing way to exit the tournament when you not only lose the match, but you lose faith in your fellow competitor." 

Blake also said he had been inspired by his friend Marty Fish, who won a silver medal at Athens '04.

"This definitely has extra meaning. I remember watching the 2004 Olympics, wishing I could be a part of it, but at that time not knowing if I would ever play again at this level.

"I was inspired by my friend Marty Fish getting the silver when he probably wasn't expected to. He told me what a great time he and Andy (Roddick) had over there. I was just so proud of him."

The 28-year old Blake suffered a fractured vertebra in his neck in 2004 before becoming ill with a condition that left part of his face temporarily paralysed.

There were no shenanigans in the men's doubles quarter-finals. Federer, smarting from his defeat to Blake (he termed it a 'big blow') and determined to win a coveted Olympic gold medal, teamed up with Stanislas Wawrinka to clinically demolish the now-on, now-off pair of Leander Paes and Mahesh ('Hesh') Bhupathi 6-2, 6-4.