Odesnik, Hewitt win Houston semifinals

HOUSTON, April 11 (UPI) -- Little-known American Wayne Odesnik and Australia's Lleyton Hewitt were semifinal winners Saturday at the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship in Houston.

Odesnik beat Germany's Bjorn Phau 6-4, 6-3. The 29-year-old Hewitt was a 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 winner against Russia's Evgeny Korolev.

Hewitt has 26 career titles, but has not won a tournament since 2007 in Las Vegas. His best previous result in 2009 was a semifinal loss in February to Andy Roddick in Memphis.

Odesnik, the 100th-ranked men's player, will be appearing in his first title match in Sunday's final.

He had lost in the first round in each of his previous three tournaments, and also was a semifinalist at this event in 2008, losing to Spain's Marcel Granollers.

The winner will collect $79,000.