 | Born: 30/8/79 Nationality: Argentine Seeded: 22 World ranking: 23 French Open best:
3rd round (2003) Recent record:
2003: 3rd round
2002: 1st round
2001: N/A |
Following a quiet start to the year, Chela has found his form at the right time. He managed only three match wins until the middle of February but a return to South America appeared to be just the tonic the Argentine needed.
He made a quarter-final in Brazil and a semi-final in Mexico before heading to the United States where he reached the last eight of the Indian Wells Masters Series event.
A tournament win on the Estoril clay ensured he would be seeded for the French Open.
Chela's progress up the rankings was dramatically halted in 2001 when he was suspended for three months for a doping offence and more recently, he has been overshadowed by compatriots David Nalbandian and Guillermo Coria.
However, the dogged baseliner should feel confident of improving on his best French Open display - a third-round appearance last year.
MMIX
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