<p>Federer, the world number one and top seed, never faced a break point as he dismissed former world number one Lleyton Hewitt of Australia 6-3, 6-4 yesterday.<br /><br />It was his 13th straight victory over Hewitt, and the 200th Masters series match win of Federer's career.<br /><br />He fired 11 aces past the Aussie, a two-time Grand Slam winner who is still fighting to regain his top form after hip surgery last year.<br />Third-seeded Murray, who seized the world number two ranking en route to capturing the Montreal Masters last week, rallied to beat French lucky loser Julien Benneteau 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.<br /><br />The fight eventually drained away from the 55th-ranked Frenchman after a marathon rally in game three of the second set - which ended when a Benneteau overhead caught the tape and kicked wide.<br /><br />Federer beat Murray in the US Open final last year, but Murray has won all four of their meetings since, including two this year.<br />Federer said Murray's new No.2 status wouldn't make a difference, but Murray's growing pile of credits might.<br />"He's getting up there in the tournament count, and that makes it more exciting to play a player like him, especially him being on a run like he's on right now after winning in Montreal," Federer said.<br />Federer is vying to add to the Cincinnati titles he won in 2005 and 2007, while Murray is seeking a second straight after beating Serbia's Novak Djokovic in the final last year.<br /><br />Rafael Nadal the world number three and second seed, beat unseeded Czech Tomas Berdych 6-4, 7-5 to set up a semi-final rematch with fourth-seeded Djokovic.<br />Djokovic, who ousted Nadal in last year's semis here, beat ninth-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-4, 7-5.<br />"I'm improving every day a little bit more," said Nadal, who was sidelined for more than two months after the French Open with tendinitis in both knees.</p>
<p>Federer, the world number one and top seed, never faced a break point as he dismissed former world number one Lleyton Hewitt of Australia 6-3, 6-4 yesterday.<br /><br />It was his 13th straight victory over Hewitt, and the 200th Masters series match win of Federer's career.<br /><br />He fired 11 aces past the Aussie, a two-time Grand Slam winner who is still fighting to regain his top form after hip surgery last year.<br />Third-seeded Murray, who seized the world number two ranking en route to capturing the Montreal Masters last week, rallied to beat French lucky loser Julien Benneteau 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.<br /><br />The fight eventually drained away from the 55th-ranked Frenchman after a marathon rally in game three of the second set - which ended when a Benneteau overhead caught the tape and kicked wide.<br /><br />Federer beat Murray in the US Open final last year, but Murray has won all four of their meetings since, including two this year.<br />Federer said Murray's new No.2 status wouldn't make a difference, but Murray's growing pile of credits might.<br />"He's getting up there in the tournament count, and that makes it more exciting to play a player like him, especially him being on a run like he's on right now after winning in Montreal," Federer said.<br />Federer is vying to add to the Cincinnati titles he won in 2005 and 2007, while Murray is seeking a second straight after beating Serbia's Novak Djokovic in the final last year.<br /><br />Rafael Nadal the world number three and second seed, beat unseeded Czech Tomas Berdych 6-4, 7-5 to set up a semi-final rematch with fourth-seeded Djokovic.<br />Djokovic, who ousted Nadal in last year's semis here, beat ninth-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-4, 7-5.<br />"I'm improving every day a little bit more," said Nadal, who was sidelined for more than two months after the French Open with tendinitis in both knees.</p>
