Tommy Haas lost his focus after a point penalty and handed over a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 win to French second seed Gilles Simon in a volatile quarter-final at the Indianapolis Tennis Championships on Friday, dpa reported.
The 30-year-old German was penalised in the second game of the final set as he broke a racket and let loose with a few choice obscenities.
The former world number two lost as he played his first quarter-final since March after withdrawing against Roger Federer at the last-eight stage at Indian Wells with a sinus infection.
The German is convinced he was unfairly punished. "I thought it wasn't so bad, Ok I broke a racket and said a few things, but..."
Haas admitted that his motivation began draining away after losing a break to the 25th-ranked Simon in the ninth game of the second set, 4-5.
"My confidence and motivation suffered when I got broken back," said Haas. "I was struggling to finish points and lost come focus on my technique.
"It was a frustrating afternoon, one of those where things just don't go your way."
Simon, who won a third career title last May in Casablanca, was playing his fifth quarter-final of the season.
He said that he had to work his way into the match. "Today was my best match of the week," said player standing 24-16 in 2008.
"I could tell Tommy was getting frustrated and I tried from the second set to hit the ball harder, my game is coming along."
Simon will face off in the Saturday semis against the winner from Americans Bobby Reynolds and Sam Querrey, the fourth seed.