Lleyton Hewitt, playing his first event after undergoing hip surgery earlier this year, has fallen 6-4, 6-3 to Argentine foe Juan Ignacio Chela.
I’ve still got some things I want to work on," said Hewitt, who won in Houston last year . "Trying to come back as quickly as possible after a couple of operations is never going to be easy. I was a bit stiff out there."
Hewitt, who also lost his doubles match with Nathan Healey to Mike and Bob Bryan, will play in Monte Carlo next week.—K.T.