CINCINNATI, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- Lleyton Hewitt may have established himself as the top hardcourt player in the world in a tune-up for the U.S. Open.
The top-seeded Hewitt recorded five service breaks and battled for a 7-5, 6-3 victory over sixth seed Andre Agassi Friday night to reach the semifinals of the Tennis Masters Series-Cincinnati.
The Australian will take on Fernando Gonzales of Chile, who eliminated Andy Roddick Friday night, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (8-6).
Earlier Friday, 16th seed Carlos Moya of Spain converted four of five break point opportunities en route to a 7-6 (7-3), 6-1 victory over Germany's Rainer Schuettler.
Moya's semifinal opponent will be compatriot Juan Carlos Ferrero, the eighth seed, who got past Australia's Wayne Arthurs, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2).
Hewitt and Agassi entered their quarterfinal with the best hardcourt records this year on the ATP Tour. But the world No. 1, who also beat Agassi in the San Jose hardcourt final in March, has taken both two meetings in 2002.
Hewitt is one of the few players with a winning record against Agassi, opening a 4-2 advantage in their lifetime series.
The reigning U.S. Open champion, Hewitt has added four trophies to his career haul this year. He took hardcourt titles at San Jose and the TMS event in Indian Wells and grasscourt crowns at the Queen's Club and Wimbledon.
Agassi broke Hewitt in the first set to open an early 3-0 lead. But Hewitt eventually broke back and, with Agassi serving at 5-5, Hewitt broke for a third time before closing out the set.
"I knew I had to step it up tonight," Hewitt said. "This is like a big Grand Slam final for me, playing Andre Agassi, one of the best players, a guy who I've idolized for so many years growing up watching tennis. I've tried to make my game like Agassi's growing up in the juniors over the years."
Hewitt also saved six of eight break points to help secure the win in one hour, 41 minutes.
"You come to these events with the best players in the world and you have to play your best tennis when it matters the most," Agassi said. "I had a few opportunities, but I think he just stepped up."
Hewitt is looking to advance past the Cincinnati semifinals, where he fell to countryman Patrick Rafter a year ago.
"This is the kind of surface that I've won my first Grand Slam on, the U.S. Open," said Hewitt, who reached his 11th Tennis Masters Series semifinal. "I feel comfortable out here and I feel I've gotten better and better as the week has progressed."
Despite playing in just his 10th tournament of the year, Agassi has four titles, including TMS crowns in Miami and Rome. He captured this event in 1995 and 1996.
Moya reached his first Tennis Masters Series semifinal since 1999 in Hamburg. The former world No. 1 retired in the second round of the 1999 U.S. Open with a back injury and struggled with it throughout the 2000 season.
"I'm healthy again and I'm not having trouble with my back," Moya said. "I'm very confident. This is important because you realize you can beat anyone. I appreciate tennis a lot more than before. I thought before, everything came easy to me. Then with my injury, it was very difficult for me."
Moya has claimed claycourt titles this year at Acapulco, Bastad and Umag and reached the final at the Tennis Masters Series event in Monte Carlo.
Ferrero defeated Moya at Monte Carlo, reached the French Open and Generali Open finals and has won four of his last five meetings with the Spaniard.
"It's not easy," Moya said of playing his good friend. "But it's a semifinal here in a big event and you forget about everything when you get to the court. It doesn't matter if he's your best friend or he's another player, you just try to beat him."
