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Juan Ignacio Chela Sweeps Defending Champ Lleyton Hewitt
Photo Credit: Mark Howard
(April 9, 2010) Juan Ignacio Chela was a shot sharper and Lleyton Hewitt was a step slower.
World No. 82 Chela used a ball control baseline attack to dissect defending champion Hewitt, 6-4, 6-3, and advance to the US Men's Clay Court Championships semifinals on the River Oaks red clay.
It is the first semifinal for Chela since he reached the final four in Buenos Aires in February of 2008.
The fourth-seeded Aussie moved with the sometimes clunky gait of a man playing his first tournament since undergoing hip and arthroscopic knee surgery in January. Hewitt held off lucky loser Somdev Devvarman, 1-6, 6-0, 7-6(2), in the second round but felt the repurcussions of that match.
"I was a bit stiff. The body wasn't 100 percent today so that made it tough," Hewitt said. "He's a better version of the last guy I played. He hits the ball heavy from the baseline and doesn't miss a lot."
Seeing Hewitt's movement was compromised, Chela continued to play heavy topspin crosscourt shots to run the former World No. 1.
"What I notice today from him is he was slower and moving with more difficulty than he usually does," Chela said. "From my end, I'm happy with the way I played. Granted he's just coming off a surgery, however it doesn't take from the fact he was No. 1 in the world. Regardless of that, I am happy with winning the match."
Down 5-0 in the final set, Hewitt showed his stubborn competitiveness and a more authoritative forehand in stringing together three straight games.
"I started hitting my forehand and working him into the corners," Hewitt said. "Before that, I didn't really know exactly what to do. I was sort of staying back and going for shots, but it wasn't really paying off as much. In the end, I started going for it and hitting through the forehand more."
Chela conceded he got tight, but held it together for his third career win over Hewitt.
The 30-year-old Chela will play Argentine Horacio Zeballos in Saturday's semifinals. The left-handed Zeballos topped top-seeded Fernando Gonzalez, 6-4, 6-4.
"Zeballos is also a very complete player," Chela said. "He is very dangerous. He likes to dominate the right side of the court."
For Hewitt, it is the first step in trying to coax more out of a body that is feeling the mileage caused by nearly 12 years on the ATP Tour.
"Obviously, I still have some things I want to work on. It's going to take some time with the body as well," Hewitt said. "I've had a couple of operations and try to come back as quickly as possible. It's never going to be easy. I haven't cut corners with my rehab, which is good. It's going to take time."
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