World No. 1 and 2005 champion Roger Federer reached his eighth semifinal of the season as he beat Spaniard Nicolas Almagro 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, in one hour and 22 minutes. The Swiss superstar improved his career mark to 11-5 in Cincinnati. He will face unseeded Lleyton Hewitt in the semifinals and this will be their 20th career meeting (Federer leads 12-7, winning the last 10). Last week in Montreal Federer won 6-3, 6-4 in the quarterfinals.

In Friday's win over Almagro, Federer converted four of six break points, breaking twice in the first and third sets. Federer went up 4-2 in the opening set, was broken in the next game, then broke again for a 5-3 lead. He then served it out with an ace.

In the second set, Federer lost his serve in the eighth game when he double-faulted twice and Almagro closed it out with an ace. Federer took control of the final set with a break in the second game and again in the sixth game.

Federer said: "I actually think I played better today than I did yesterday. The only problem was I had one really bad game which then cost me the set... He's dangerous. Sometimes he returns from the back and sometimes he really moves in and really gives it a shot. So you got to be really focused, and maybe that was one of reasons I got broken, because I didn't know what to expect."

Hewitt advanced to his fifth semifinal (or better) in seven appearances on Friday as he defeated 2002 champion Carlos Moya 6-2, 6-4 in one hour and 17 minutes.

The 26-year-old Aussie was on his game from the outset as he broke the Spaniard in the opening game and then broke again in the fifth game. He took control in the second set with breaks in the first and third games. Moya broke for the only time in the sixth game but Hewitt held on for his fifth straight victory over the Mallorca native.

Hewitt, a finalist in 2002 (l. to Moya) and 2004 (l. to Agassi), improved his career record to 22-6 in Cincinnati. The former year-end No. 1 in 2001-02, will be making his second appearance in an ATP Masters Series semifinal this season (Hamburg). He will attempt to reach his eighth career Masters Series final (2-5), the first since Indian Wells two years ago when he lost to Federer.

Hewitt said: "I felt good. Especially after of the conditions yesterday. It was very zapping for everyone I think. It was a battle to get through yesterday and my body felt good out there today.

"I think at my best I'm easily in the top 10. There's a lot guys I felt comfortable about beating when I'm playing at my best. The last couple of years I've had niggling injuries, so, yeah, that's been the hardest thing: Getting on court and getting match time."

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