It was revenge day in Indian Wells today for the top seeds. Lleyton Hewitt had a chance to avenge his fourth round Australian Open defeat to Younes El Aynaoui. Meanwhile, Hewitt?s significant other, Kim Clijsters, had a shot at the woman who knocked her out of Indian Wells last year, Nathalie Dechy.

El Aynaoui appeared on the verge of repeating the Australian shocker when he held a match point at 5-3 on Hewitt?s serve, and two more on his own serve at 5-4. Hewitt saved all three, one on a desperate backhand down the line and the other two thanks to errors by the bushy-haired Moroccan. The top seed finally broke El Aynaoui to close the set and level the score at 4-6, 7-5.

The third set seem to turn on a spectacular and bizarre exchange at 1-1, 30-40 and break point for the Moroccan. At the net, the Aussie made a spectacular diving volley, but it went right to Younes, who simply had to tap the ball into the open court. Instead, he tapped it beyond the baseline. That was about it for El Aynaoui, who wilted in the heat as Lleyton cruised to a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 win. At the end of the match the two warriors had a smiling and laughing exchange of words. ?I think we were laughing at the situation,? reported Hewitt, ?because a half hour, 45 minutes earlier we could have been shaking hands.?

Hewitt, definitely with a tough draw, next faces a quarterfinalist here last year and semifinalist two years ago, veteran Yevgeny Kafelnikov in tomorrow?s second round.

Kim Clijsters also got that revenge against Nathalie Dechy, and it was easier than the mission that her boyfriend had accomplished earlier in the day. Still it went three sets. Clijsters played a very solid third set after an unspired performance (48 unforced errors in the first two sets).

Clijsters will now face Chanda Rubin in the quarterfinals, after Rubin outlasted Ai Sugiyama, 0-6, 6-4, 6-4.

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Hantuchova bows out

We also lost our defending women?s champion, as ?thin and thinner? 3rd seed Daniela Hantuchova was unable to deal the endless running of the Little Assassin, Amanda Coetzer. Hantuchova had experienced wobbly moments in the first set of her 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 win over Katarina Srebotnik and survived, but Hantuchova?s opponent today would not let her off the hook.

Coetzer is in form these days, as she is fresh off a title in Acapulco last month. Often scrambling well behind the baseline, the speedy Coetzer was able to track down countless balls, making Hantuchova hit one or two extra shots. The South African also surprised Hantuchova by coming to the net at opportune moments, and converted 15 of 18 net points. Coetzer revealed after the match that her coach Lori McNeil, a serve-and volleyer in her playing days, has been trying to inculcate more attacking habits i nto Amanda?s mind. ?It took me a while at first to understand it,? explained Coetzer, ?then to execute it.?

As for our defending champion, Hantuchova was glum when she entered the press room, but she brightened up during the best conference, trying to put a brave face on the disappointment. Hantuchova misfired on too many opportunities to put Coetzer away -- just 3 break points converted in 13 attempts. ?I always started the point well enough,? observed the Slovak. ?Then when I had chances to close it up, I just didn?t finish it properly.? If Hantuchova was looking for excuses, we could point to the lingerin g cold she has had for the past week (she was coughing during the match and in her press conference), or or the growth spurts that have made her even thinner than she was last year. But since she didn?t offer any excuses, neither shall we.

This upset-riddled quarter of the draw has been dominated by the geezers. 31-year-old Coetzer?s quarterfinal opponent on Wednesday will be Conchita Martinez, one year Coetzer?s junior. Martinez had no trouble dispatching last year?s surprise semifinalist, Emmanuelle Gagliardi, 6-1, 6-2.

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Wandering in the desert

Feliciano lights fans? fire

One of the more impressive young players we saw today was Feliciano Lopez, a big, hard-serving Spanish lefty, who dominated Dominik Hrbaty today, 6-2, 7-6 (7-2). So impressed, in fact, that we chatted with Lopez today, and will run the profile here on Friday

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Quotable quotes

Goran Ivanisevic after a woeful performance in his 6-2, 6-4 loss to Gustavo Kuerten, estimated that he was serving at ?50% to 60%?. Strangly, he said his shoulder, operated upon last year, was not the problem. My elbow actually hurts now, [the injury] probably came down.? Goran suggested, and we don?t know to what extent he was serious about this, that he was paying the price for a bargain with God. ?Before Wimbledon started I said to God, ?Just give me this Wimbledon, and I don?t have to pla y tennis anymore in my life.? I think he?s doing that now. I won, but I?m not playing tennis.?

Goran?s exectutioner, Gustavo Kuerten, was the first player asked (at least to our knowledge) about the independent players? union that Wayne Ferreira is attempting to spearhead. If Guga?s response was any indication, Ferreira will get a sympathetic hearing from a number of pros. ?So far I haven?t had a chance to talk to him. I think the players, if they get together, it?s a good sign of power. I think we should have more unity from the players. So basically, if he is looking for that, I thi nk I will agree to the players having more, counting more.?