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3/13/10 8:04 AM | Ricky Dimon
Victor Hanescu beats Juan Ignacio Chela in straight sets to book a second-round Indian Wells meeting with Roger Federer. Simon Greul also advances, dismissing Richard Gasquet.
Victor Hanescu d. Juan Ignacio Chela 6-3, 7-6(4)
Just like he did at the Australian Open with a second-round match against Roger Federer on the line, Hanescu beat Chela on Friday afternoon at the BNP Paribas Open. The 6'6'' Romanian, who went on to lose to Federer at Melbourne Park, needed one hour and 30 minutes to book an Indian Wells rematch.
Despit his size, Hanescu is more of clay-court player who relies on an aggressive all-court game rather than a big serve. He worked that strategy to perfection against Chela, breaking the Spaniard twice in the first set while donating his own serve only once. Hanescu held at 5-3 to finish off the opening frame of play in style.
The world No. 43 seemed to be on his way to a routine victory at 5-4 in the second. This time while serving for a set, however, Hanescu buckled under pressure and dropped serve for the second time of the day. Two games later, a tiebreaker was necessary to decide things. Hanescu, who has always frustrated Chela and now leads their head-to-head series 4-0 (including 11-1 in total sets), cruised through it seven points to four.
Simon Greul d. Richard Gasquet 7-6(6), 7-6(7)
Greul and Gasquet each won 84 points on Friday, but Greul won the critical ones to survive their first-round encounter after one hour and 54 minutes. Not a single break of serve took place in the entire match, but the in-form German proved to be the tougher player in a pair of tiebreakers. Gasquet squandered three break chances during the first set and eventually double-faulted on his own set point in the opening tiebreaker. Greul went on to pull it out eight points to six.
In the second frame of play it was Gasquet's turn to fight off three break points. The 69th-ranked Frenchman did so successfully to force another decider, but once again he faltered at the big moments. Greul prevailed in another tight one, finishing off his opponent nine points to seven. The world No. 58 (two spots off his career-high even at 28 years old) wrapped up his effort with six aces and five double-faults on the away to second-round affair against 12th-seeded Gael Monfils.
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