SYDNEY (CP) - Facing a hostile environment and a top-ranked opponent proved to be no problem for Canadian Daniel Nestor.

In one of the biggest wins of his career, Nestor ousted host-country favourite Patrick Rafter from the Olympics before a hostile crowd Thursday on centre court at the New South Wales Tennis Centre. Not since beating Sweden's Stefan Edberg as an unheralded 20-year-old in a five-set Davis Cup match in 1992, could Nestor remember beating a top-ranked player in such a hostile environment.

I think it's one of my biggest ever, he said after his 7-5, 6-5 (4) win over the 14th-seeded Rafter. It ranks up there with beating Edberg in Davis Cup in '92.

This is the best match I've played in a long time considering the conditions and what was at stake. It was tough conditions out there playing against him and all his fans.

Men's results at the Olympic Games count toward their year-end ranking. Nestor, whose surgery on his left shoulder last January and subsequent rehabilitation dropped him out of the top 100, should improve his rank of 143 after beating No. 14 Rafter.

Last time when I beat Edberg I didn't get anything out of it except a lot of exposure, said the 28-year-old.

Nestor meets eighth-seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain in the third round.

Nestor and Sebastien Lareau of Boucherville, Que., came to the Olympics to win a medal in doubles. But both have done well in singles with Lareau opening with a first-round win over 16th-seeded American Michael Chang.

If you're only in one event, that's it. It makes it easier knowing you have a backup, said Nestor. Usually it's the other way around, with the doubles being the backup.

I came here to win a doubles medal so that's still the No. 1 priority.

Daniel went into the lions' den when he walked into centre court to face Rafter. Chants of Aussie, Aussie Aussie. Oi! Oi! Oi! rained down on him from the partisan packed house, but Nestor coolly went about his business, employing a strong first serve and beating Rafter as he came to the net with several pin-point passing shots.

Rafter, on the other hand, seemed to feel the weight of gold medal expectations, rushed his shots and made errors.

When Rafter made a charge in the second set, fighting back from a 5-1 deficit to take a 6-5 lead to the crowd's delight, Nestor remained steady to hold serve and take the tie-breaker.

I just wanted to stay calm because I knew I had a chance to win and I could have easily let it slip away there, he said.

I started the match going for my shots, letting it all hang loose. In the past I always put too much pressure on myself and felt like I was the one who had to win, who needed to win. Today I played my game and forgot about all the rest.

The Toronto left-hander had beaten Rafter in two of their three previous meetings prior to Thursday, but the wins came in 1993 and '96. Rafter beat Nestor in 1999.

Daniel's a big-match sort of player, said Rafter. He can pull a match like that out. He's a dangerous player so you have to be very careful when you play someone like that.

After shaking Rafter's hand, Nestor threw his arms in the air in triumph, but there was more relief than happiness in his face.

People make fun of me all the time for not showing enough emotion, said Nestor. I guess today I showed emotion, but not the right kind of emotion.

I was very happy to get it over with and a little bit relieved to get the second set over. The last thing I wanted was a third set and the crowd was really getting into it.

(C) The Canadian Press, 2000