World No. 100
Wayne Odesnik will square off against former No. 1
Lleyton Hewitt on Sunday in the final of the US Men's Clay Court Championship in
Houston after each advanced in Saturday play on the red clay.
The 23-year-old Odesnik advanced to his first-ever final with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Germany's
Bjorn Phau.
Hewitt, seeking his first title in two years, subdued Russian
Evgeny Korolev 7-6(4), 6-4.
On Friday Odesnik had defeated fellow American
John Isner to advance to a second straight Houston semifinals, last year losing to eventual champ
Marcel Granollers after holding match points.
Odesnik was the last American standing last year at the
French Open, but this year was 0-3 in match play at the tour level entering Houston. From Weston, Fla., Odesnik is looking to join fellow Florida resident
Mardy Fish and former Florida resident
Andy Roddick as U.S. title winners this year.
The 29-year-old Hewitt won the U.S. Men's Clay Court title in 2004, with his last title-raising effort coming at Las Vegas in 2007. Hewitt's only claycourt title came in 1999 at
Delray Beach, and the Aussie and Odesnik have never previously faced each other.
