Davydenko, the world number three, won in 3hr 05min to record his first ever victory over the 27-year-old Argentinian, who had won all five of their previous meetings.

Davydenko started confidently, breaking his rival's serve early to clinch a comfortable 3-0 lead before Chela chalked up his first point in the match.

The 25-year-old Russian increased his advantage with another break in the sixth game to lift himself one set up in 37 minutes.

No big serves were produced in the second set before the fifth game, when Davydenko added power and precision to his playing to take four consecutive games to clinch a 2-0 lead after one hour 11 minutes on court.

In the third Chela, spurred by a thousand Argentine fans including football idol Diego Maradona, broke to gain a 4-1 advantage but Davydenko broke back in the seventh game to level at four games all.

However, Chela managed to reduce the arrears winning the third set in one hour with another break in the 12th game.

In the fourth Davydenko put his feet back to the ground and broke Chela's serve twice to go 4-1 lead before Argentinian broke back to narrow the gap.

But Davydenko managed to hold his lead under the watchful gaze of Russia's first president Boris Yeltsin, sealing his win with a service winner, which Chela sent into the net.

Former US and Australian Open champion Marat Safin will be looking to tighten Russia's grip on a second title after 2002 when he takes on eighth-ranked David Nalbandian later Friday.