Photo Credit: Mark Howard

(April 11, 2010) Thirty was once a dirty word on the ATP Tour  — a red flag ushering in impending career decline.

Thirty hasn't undergone a makeover, hired a PR firm or had Botox injection yet lately it's become the age of champions.

Juan Igancio Chela is the latest 30-something to win a championship.

Fighting back from a set down and later a break down in the final set, the 30-year-old Chela defeated Sam Querrey, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, to capture the US Men's Clay Court Championships title at  River Oaks in Houston.

It was Chela's fifth career championship —  all five have come on red clay — and his first since he captured the 2007 Acapulco title.

"It feels wonderful to win this," Chela said through a translator. "I've always said as long as I'm enjoying the competition and getting this adrenaline from playing, I'm going to keep playing as long as I'm happy and especially after this win."

Chela is the first Argentine to win River Oaks since Mariano Zabaleta in 1998.

It was the third straight year an American man fell short in the final following runner-up results by Wayne Odesnik last year and James Blake in 1998.


A year ago, Chela was floundering at No. 166 and played 40 matches at the Challenger level in an effort to revive his ranking. Fast forward to now and the 82nd-ranked Argentine is projected to rise back into the top 55 when the new ATP rankings are released on Monday.

Since February five tournament champions —  Juan Carlos Ferrero (Costa do Sauipe and Buenos Aires), Michael Llodra (Marseille), Ivan Ljubicic (Indian Wells) and Chela — have lifted tournament titles after their 29th birthdays.

"Seeing Ljubicic win Indian Wells was a big motivation," Chela said. "It shows you can still play good tennis after 30. I think we all work hard and are professionals and have experience. If you have the desire and passion you can still play at a good level."

A counter-punching Chela played consistent crosscourt combinations and allowed an increasingly weary Querrey to implode in the final set.

Contesting his first career clay court final, the third-seeded Querrey had a shot to score a straight sets win, but could not crack Chela's serve in the second set.

At 3-all in the second set, a frustrated Querrey bounced his frame off his forehead: "Stop pushing the ball. hit the ball!" Querrey yelled at himself.

Serving at 4-5, Querrey was up 40-15 when his failure to move his feet fast enough cost him.

Querrey was a bit late catching up to a drop shot and pushed it wide. Chela ran around his backhand and lifted a forehand return winner down the line for deuce. Two points later, Querrey missed the mark down the line and bounced his racket in disgust at dropping the second set.

"I learned that I needed to take more chances and hit the ball bigger on the big points," Querrey said. "I was just babying the ball around too often. I needed to step up and take chances...I was scared to do it. You can't be scared to do it. If I play like this I'll win the occasional 250, but I won't get to the next level where I want to be."

Breaking to open the final set, Querrey immediately surrendered serve.

The 25th-ranked Querrey played for two hours, 48 minutes in subduing Wayne Odesnik, 7-6(3), 1-6, 7-5, in Saturday's semifinals. Midway through the third set today, a physically drained Querrey began slapping his thighs as if trying to smack some energy into his legs. Seeking to shorten points, Querrey began playing closer to the lines and playing more drop shots.

A patient Chela broke for 5-3 and served out the title when Querrey slapped a forehand wide.