Hewitt breaks clay jinx

Lleyton Hewitt of Australia reached his first clay court final in a decade with a 7-6, 6-4 victory over Evgeny Korolev of Russia at the US Men's Clay Court Championships on Saturday.
The former No. 1 player, who has won 26 titles, will meet first-time finalist Wayne Odesnik of the United States on Sunday. Odesnik beat Germany's Bjorn Phau 6-4, 6-3 in their semifinal.
Hewitt won his 498th career match, moving him closer to joining Roger Federer and Carlos Moya as the only active players with 500 wins. A victory on Sunday would give Hewitt his first title on clay since Delray Beach in 1999.
Hewitt failed to win a tournament in 2008 for the first time since he turned pro in 1998. He ended 2008 ranked No. 67 and has slumped to No. 88. He's still undergoing rehab for hip surgery last August.
There were no service breaks in the match until the final game of the second set, when Korolev fell behind love-40 and lost on the first match point with a backhand that sailed past the baseline.
Hewitt faced no break points in the match and gained control of the first-set tiebreaker on four straight errors by the Russian. Korolev hit a backhand into the net to bring on the first set point at 6-2. Hewitt won the set with a strong forehand to the corner just out of Korolev's reach.
Korolev upset Argentina's Guillermo Canas in a long three-setter on Friday.
Odesnik will be trying to become the first American to win a clay court event since 2006 when Mardy Fish won here.
Odesnik faced little drama until the sixth game of the second set, when he led 5-1. Phau fought off the first match point with a forehand winner. Facing a break point, Odesnik served what he thought was an ace, but it was overruled. He double-faulted on his second serve for the break.
That only delayed the outcome. Odesnik held in the ninth game and won it on the second match point when Phau hit a forehand beyond the baseline.