HOUSTON: Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt reached his first clay court final in a decade with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 victory over Evgeny Korolev Saturday at the US Men's ClayCourt Championships.

The Aussie veteran, trying to work his way back up the rankings after left hip surgery last year, will meet American Wayne Odesnik in the final.

Odesnik advanced with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Bjorn Phau of Germany. Hewitt won his 498th career match, moving him closer to joining Swiss star Roger Federer and Spain's Carlos Moya as the only active players with 500 wins.

A victory Sunday would give Hewitt his first title on clay since he won at Delray Beach in 1999.