Lleyton Hewitt lined up a clash with five-time champion Roger Federer after disposing of Italian Simone Bolelli today.

The Australian flew out of the blocks following the rain delay to claim the opening two sets at a canter, and though the 22-year-old Bolelli showed more aggression in the third set, Hewitt came through in the tie-break to win 6-1 6-3 7-6 (7/2).

Hewitt, the only man other than Federer in the men's draw to have won the tournament, will now take on the Swiss number one in a mouth-watering clash.

The 2002 champion raced into a 3-0 lead and Bolelli, a dentist's son from Bologna, had to save two break points in the fourth game to get on the board. A double-fault allowed Hewitt to go 5-1 up and he easily closed out the set.

Bolelli, whose second serve was a gift to Hewitt's forceful groundstrokes, was broken again in the third game of the second set as a superb whipped forehand winner was greeted with pumping fists from the 27-year-old Australian.

Bolelli had been the conqueror of Britain's Alex Bogdanovic and Chilean ace Fernando Gonzalez in the first two rounds but looked out of his depth, saving another break point in the fifth game before conceding the set in game nine with a risky drop shot which Hewitt easily chased down.

Hewitt looked keen to get it over with as the skies darkened but Bolelli finally found rhythm with his serve to force a tie-break, but the Australian always had the edge and two mini-breaks proved sufficient.

He now faces a 21st meeting with Federer, who is 13-7 up in their head-to-head clashes, having lost to the Swiss star in the semi-finals here three years ago.

Asked how he would treat the match, Hewitt said: Obviously you treat it a bit different to other matches. In the last five years, no-one has been able to get it right - Rafa (Nadal) has got close but no-one else.

"I am going to have to play extremely well. Is that my absolute best? I don't know, it depends how he plays as well."