2011 Medibank International Sydney: Juan Ignacio Chela topples Radek Stepanek
The 31-year-old Juan Ignacio Chela won his first round match at the 2011 Medibank International Sydney on Tuesday after getting the better of his Czech foe Radek Stepanek in three sets. The final match score was 4-6, 6-0, 6-3.
The battle concluded in a time period of two hours.
Chela, who achieved his career highest ranking of world number 15 back in 2004, is currently ranked number 38 in the South African Airways ATP list. He posted his best result of the season last year by winning the title battle
in Houston, beating Sam Querrey from the United States of America in three sets. The final match score was 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. Moreover, the professional tennis ace from Argentine also picked up another crown at the BCR Open Romania after thrashing out Pablo Andujar
in a two setter final.
The right hander in his today’s match against Radek broke his opponent on five occasions to start his 2011 season on a high as Chela is playing in his first tournament of 2011. Former world number eight Radek, on the other hand,
started his 2011 campaign at the Brisbane International last week where he made his way into the semis, before eventually bundling out of the event at the hands of Robin Soderling of Sweden.
Chela, who made his debut on the ATP tour back in 1998, recorded his career best result in Sydney in 2002 when he finished finalist on his debut appearance. In the title battle, the Argentinean was toppled by the Swiss tennis maestro
Roger Federer.
In other matches, Guillermo Garcia Lopez of Spain also posted a two setter victory over Chris Guccione earlier in the day. The final match score was 7-6(5), 7-5.
World number 376, Garica, after the match said, “It was a tough match. He is a really good player, ranked 30 something in the world. It was a battle out there. I was always fighting to hold my serve. He made me play a lot of first volleys. He played a solid
match.”
Richard Gasquet and Matthew Ebden will also take the court later in the day.
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