Hewitt to face Federer in final

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LLEYTON Hewitt insists he will be "hopefully close to 100 per cent'' fit for his showcase Brisbane International final against Roger Federer on Sunday.

Hewitt and Federer, both 32, will play their first final in Australia and their 27th career match after Hewitt's exhausting 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 win against Japan's second seed Kei Nishikori in heatwave conditions.

"I don't know why I keep putting myself through it. It's like punishment,'' said Hewitt, who has won eight of his 26 career matches against Federer, having arrested a 15-match losing streak in their final in Halle Germany in 2010.

"Whenever you come off court, it feels like the worst (heat I have ever played in). My first Davis Cup match in Boston was bad, but that was a drier heat.''

Federer's 6-3, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3 singles semi-final win over France's eighth seed Jeremy Chardy later took 35 fewer minutes than Hewitt's 2hr30min marathon.

But the 17-time Grand Slam title winner then headed back out with Frenchman Nicolas Mahut for a doubles semi-final.

Roger Federer in action against Jeremy Chardy in their semi-final. Picture: Peter Wallis Source: News Limited

It's a dream finale for Brisbane International organisers, topping off an event in which the 100,000 total crowd mark will be passed for the first time and the top-two ranked players contested the women's final.

"We have big matches in Slams, Davis Cup … he has been great for the tournament and how he has promoted tennis in Australia,'' Hewitt said.

Chardy, a 2013 Australian Open quarter-finalist, was unable to break Federer's serve, but made the top seed nervous in the second-set tiebreak rallies with his big serve.

With Federer's Open campaign in sight of a serious road bump, he saved a break point in the opening game of the third set when Chardy missed a run-around forehand return.

Chardy missed twice with forehands and coughed up two double-faults when he dropped serve to fall behind 3-5 in the third set.

Hewitt will bid for a first Australian title in nine years on Sunday in the Brisbane International final and could finish his home circuit restored as his country's top-ranked player once again.

Lleyton Hewitt celebrates after reaching the Brisbane International final. Picture: Peter Wallis Source: News Limited

Hewitt's resilience and a Brisbane heatwave turned the blowtorch on Japan's ishikori, the world's No. 17 player, for a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 win in their Pat Rafter Arena semi-final.

Hewitt, a fearsome and well-trained competitor even at age 32, took to draping a towel packed with ice around his neck after just seven games in temperatures measured at 42C at the Tennyson stadium.

But in the 2hr30min slog, the former world No. 1 was stronger than Nishikori, eight years his junior, as their Brisbane International match moved past the two-hour match mark.

"I love the battle,'' he said.

"It's a true fight, a one on one battle and why you do all the hard work.''

Hewitt is defending second-round rankings points at the Queensland Tennis Centre and so will make a jump from No. 60 when the new standings come out on Monday.

Lleyton Hewitt feels the heat during his Brisbane International semi-final. Picture: Peter Wallis Source: News Limited

He will make an immediate charge at finishing the Australian circuit with the national No. 1 mantle, with Bernard Tomic (No. 51) defending champion points at the Sydney International, starting on Sunday, and third-round points at the Australian Open.

Hewitt last won a tournament in Australia in 2005, in Sydney, and his win over Nishikori means he has won all nine tour semi-finals he has played on home soil.

Hewitt's 2005 home circuit was a memorably rousing one, culminating in a heartbreaking four-set loss to Marat Safin in the Melbourne Park final, the closest he came to winning the Australian Open.

"You are a long time retired and mentally it's a massive win today to go the distance like that,'' he said.

"I feel sharp at the moment and I've been able to get a good pre-season in November and December,'' said Hewitt.

Under the shade at Pat Rafter Arena, the two baseliners had to contend with a blanket of hot, still air enveloping them.

Lleyton Hewitt in action during his win over Kei Nishikori. Picture: Peter Wallis Source: News Limited

As the first set wore on it was noticeable that Hewitt did not have the usual power in his legs as he stepped into his groundstrokes against an opponent eight years younger.

But in the second set, the Australian foiled Nishikori when the 24-year-old second seed held two break points at 4-all, hitting an ace and then benefiting from an error.

Nishikori was showing signs of fatigue and a rash of three backhand errors handed a grateful Hewitt the second set in the next game.

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