MASON, Ohio -- Lleyton Hewitt outlasted Andre Agassi 7-5, 6-3 Friday night in a battle of baseline bombers to advance to the semifinals of the $2.95 million Cincinnati Masters Series.

	Lleyton Hewitt broke Andre Agassi's serve five times.

Hewitt, the No. 1-ranked player in the world, and Agassi, a former No. 1, provided some brilliant and some spotty tennis in the match that lasted 1 hour, 41 minutes.

"He made some errors early, and I knew that would change,'' Agassi said. "I expected him to not go down without a fight.''

Agassi committed 30 unforced errors and failed to hold serve five times; Hewitt committed 29 unforced errors and failed to hold twice, both times in the first set.

"I was struggling early in the week and knew I had to step it up tonight,'' Hewitt said. "I feel comfortable, and I think I've gotten better and better as the week has gone along.''

Hewitt will play Fernando Gonzalez, who beat 12th-seeded Andy Roddick 7-6 (4), 7-6 (6) Friday night.

Earlier Friday, eighth-seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero beat Wayne Arthurs 6-4, 7-6 (2), and No. 16 Carlos Moya beat Rainer Schuettler 7-6 (3), 6-1 to set up the other semifinal.

Agassi was in trouble immediately but battled back from double break-point to hold serve in the first game. After Agassi failed to hold three times, Hewitt served out the 12th game as the first set passed the one-hour mark.

"It was a long first set, and it was a grinding one,'' Hewitt said. "He had the advantage at the start, then I was able to peg back the momentum.''

Agassi staved off four break points to hold serve in the fifth game of the second set, but had little left for the seventh and ninth games, when Hewitt broke him again.

"If you're going to beat the best players in the world, you have to play your best tennis,'' Agassi said. "He outplayed me today.

"Once I started pressing a little bit, he just kind of settled in and started using his legs. He played a smart match.''

Hewitt holds a 4-2 career edge over Agassi. The last time they met, in March, they battled just three minutes shy of 3 hours in the finals of a tournament in San Jose, Calif.

Hewitt won that one by saving two match points and winning the second and third sets in tiebreakers.

Hewitt is the reigning U.S. Open and Wimbledon champion, but Agassi is the only active player to have won all four Grand Slams.

Each has won four titles this year -- Hewitt at Wimbledon, Indian Wells, Queen's Club and San Jose, and Agassi at Miami, Rome, Scottsdale and Los Angeles.

Agassi, 32, and Hewitt, 21, met for the first time in Adelaide when Hewitt was 16. Hewitt won there in two sets, winning both tiebreakers.

Agassi won the next two meetings, in 1999 and 2001, and Hewitt won the past two, last year and in San Jose in March.

"I've tried to make my game a little bit like Andre's,'' Hewitt said.

Agassi has been selective in his tournament appearances this year. He has reached at least the quarterfinals in eight of 10 tournaments, but also has been fined $40,000 for not playing in Hamburg, and $80,000 last week for pulling out of Masters Series Toronto on the eve of the tournament.

Hewitt faces a fine equal to half his winnings this week for failing to fulfill an ATP requirement for an interview with the host broadcaster, ESPN.

Moya, who has reached his seventh semifinal of the year, hasn't lost a set through four matches here.

"The first set was tough,'' said Moya, who trailed 5-3 before getting back on serve. "I didn't feel like I was controlling the match. But after broke him back ... suddenly I was much more confident. I was serving well, and my forehand was very powerful.''

Ferrero won the Masters Series Monte Carlo in April and was runner-up a month later in the French Open -- both on clay -- but he is only 9-6 on hardcourts. Four of those victories have been this week.

"I think I've improved a lot since last year,'' Ferrero said. "I've played all my life on hardcourts in Spain. Maybe this year I can play on my level.''