Federer outlasts Hewitt

Roger Federer moved within a victory of his 50th career title by beating Lleyton Hewitt 6-3, 6-7 7, 7-6 1 in the semi-finals of the Western 038; Southern Financial Group Masters on Saturday. Federer, who won this event in 2005, will face James Blake on Sunday. Blake beat Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 6-2 in the late semi-final. Federer is 6-0 against Blake, but it was the second straight match in which the top-ranked player in the world was pressed to three sets.