Tokyo  – Former champion Lleyton Hewitt moved into his third career semi-final at the Japan Open Friday, ending the dream run of underdog French player Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-4, 6-0.

Eighth-seed Hewitt is back into the last four at the Ariake colosseum for the first time since 2004, a showing which followed his 2001 title at the event.

The 189th-ranked Roger-Vasselin was brought back to earth by the two-time Grand Slam winner from Australia after the 25-year-old French player produced the shock of the week with his first-round elimination of US Open winner Juan Del Potro.

Hewitt is to play his third semi-final of 2009 after Houston – where he won – and Memphis, where he lost to Andy Roddick.

“It’s great to get a convincing win in the quarter-final stage, those matches are never easy,” said Hewitt, 33-18 on the season, “I’m happy to be back in the semis here in Japan again.”

Hewitt broke five times in the 67-minute demolition, losing his own serve once against a player he had never faced.

He is to battle for a place in the Sunday final when he takes on the winner between fifth seeded Czech Tomas Berdych and Russian Mikhail Youzhny.

Hewitt has lost twice to Berdych but stands 3-0 over Youzhny.

Two French seeds were bidding to advance, with number two Jo-Wilfried Tsonga playing a quarter-final against rising Latvian Ernests Gulbis and number four Gael Monfils taking on Swiss number seven Stan Wawrinka. (dpa)