Federer, Hewitt to meet in Brisbane final

BRISBANE, Australia - Roger Federer and Lleyton Hewitt earned three-set victories on Saturday to set up a meeting in the Brisbane International final, renewing a rivalry that stretches back to the last millennium.

Roger Federer of Switzerland acknowledges the crowd after defeating Jeremy Chardy of France in their men's singles semi-final match at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, January 4, 2014. [Photo/Agencies]

Federer beat No. 8-seeded Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3 in a semifinal featuring just two service breaks, immediately after Hewitt's 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 win over second-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan.

The pair of 32-year-old former No. 1s have met 26 times dating back to Hewitt's win at Lyon in 1999. Federer leads their head-to-head record 18-8, including 16 wins in their last 17 matches, and has 17 Grand Slam titles to Hewitt's two.

"We go way back," Federer said. "My rivalry with him was pretty intense. Never nasty or anything, but just good matches.

"We're total opposite from one another the way we play. ... I think that's why it's always an interesting matchup for both of us."

Hewitt is coming back from long-term foot and toe injuries, is ranked in the 60s and is into his first final on home soil since losing the Australian Open decider to Marat Safin in 2005 _ that last time he went beyond the semifinals at a major.

The last time they met in a final, Hewitt broke Federer's streak of 15 wins in head-to-heads with a comeback victory in three sets at Halle in 2010. That was the last of Hewitt's 28 career titles. Federer has won 77 titles, the last being at Halle last year.