29 August 2004	Sunday	12 Rajab 1425

LONG ISLAND Aug 28: Hard-charging Lleyton Hewitt shifted into comeback mode against Argentine Juan Chela on Friday, hammering out a 6-7 (6/8), 6-1, 6-1 win and a place in the semi-finals of the 380,000-dollar ATP Long Island event.

The second-seeded Australian reached the final four of an event for the third time in succession during a golden month in which his tennis has blossomed into championships form.

With just over 48 hours remaining before the start of the US Open, Hewitt goes into the year's last major with a final at Cincinnati and a title last week in Washington to his credit over the past month.

Hewitt went to work in avenging a three-set loss he took against fifth seed Chela at the Masters in Indian Wells last March, putting his famed fighting spirit on display once again.

The two-time world number one improved his record this season to 51-13 with three titles.

Hewitt shifted into overdrive after missing on a chance to serve out the first set; but Chela made the same error as a set featuring four breaks moved inevitably into a tie-breaker.

Though Chela, the world number 18, won the decider, it was the last contribution from the South American as a fired-up Hewitt crushed him to score the victory.

Thai fourth seed Paradorn Srichaphan also recovered from a slow start as a stomach problem grew on Swedish seventh seed Joachim Johansson, who suffered a 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 loss in their quarter-final.

Paradorn has now won all 13 matches he has played at this country club venue, winning the last two editions.

He will square off Saturday against Peru's Luis Horna, who took three sets to dispatch Nikolay Davydenko of Russia 6-4, 6-7 (2/7), 6-4.

The win squared the ledger for the Peruvian after losing against Davydenko in May's semis in Munich as Horna improved his record to 25-22 this season.

Paradorn said his confidence is ripe for the start of the one hour's drive away at Flushing Meadows.

Johansson missed a chance to reach his second semi-final this season after winning his first career trophy in Memphis in February.

The Swede hammered the Thai in the Olympic first round last week.

Quarterfinals

Luis Horna (Per) bt Nikolay Davydenko (Rus) 6-4, 6-7 (2/7), 6-4; Paradorn Srichaphan (Tha x4) bt Joachim Johansson (Swe x7) 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-3; Lleyton Hewitt (Aus) bt Juan Chela (Arg) 6-7 (6/8), 6-1, 6-1; Dmitry Tursunov (Russia) bt Jurgen Melzer (Austria) 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4

LIKHOVTSEVA IN FINAL

Top seed Elena Likhovtseva, rallied Friday to beat Anabel Medina Garrigues and advance to the final of the 65,000 dollar WTA Forest Hills Women's Tennis Classic.

Russia's Likhovtseva moved into the championship match with a 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 win over the Spaniard.

Likhovtseva will face Czech Iveta Benesova in the final after Benesova beat Belgian Kirsten Flipkens in straight sets 7-5, 6-2.

Likhovtseva should be the fresher of the two finalists as she received a bye in the first round and was awarded a spot in the semis when opponent Marion Bartoli was forced to withdraw due to a hand injury.

Flipkens was playing in her first WTA semi-final. Flipkens is ranked No.186 and is the fourth highest ranked player from Belgium behind Justine Henin-Hardenne, Kim Clijsters and Els Callens.

Semifinals results:

Elena Likhovtseva (Rus) bt Anabel Medina Garrigues (Spa) 3-6, 6-0, 6-1; Iveta Benesova (Cze) bt Kirsten Flipkens (Bel) 7-5, 6-2.

Dementieva beaten

NEW YORK: Second seed Elena Dementieva's hopes of a first title in 2004 ended in double-quick time when she was hammered 6-1 6-1 by fellow Russian Elena Bovina in the semi-finals of the $585,000 New Haven Open on Friday.

The French Open runner-up, who had progressed to the last four with ease, was completely out of sorts as seventh seed Bovina wrapped up victory in only 56 minutes.

Dementieva, who reached her first grand slam final at the French Open in June before losing to compatriot Anastasia Myskina, had won three of her previous four meetings with Bovina, including one in Sydney at the start of this year.

Semifinal results: 8-Nathalie Dechy (France) beat Lisa Raymond (US) 6-4, 6-0; 7-Elena Bovina (Russia) beat 2-Elena Dementieva (Russia) 6-1, 6-1.-Agencies