Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova kept on course for a third successive WTA title on by beating fellow Russian Elena Dementieva in the semi-finals of the Zurich Challenge.
The 17-year-old world number seven fought back from a set down to topple the world number five 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
In tomorrow's final Sharapova will take on unseeded Australian Alicia Molik who upset local favourite and 10th-seed Patty Schnyder 4-6 6-1 6-4.
"It was a very tough match and a very long one, so I'm happy to have won," Sharapova said after taking the encounter in just under two hours.
"I thought I was the more aggressive player on the crucial points which helped me dictate the play."
It was Sharapova's 12th win in a row, coming off the back of tournament triumphs in Seoul and Tokyo.
It also continued a miserable trend for Dementieva who has now lost to fellow Russians in four of her last six tournaments.
Sharapova will be a strong favourite in Sunday's final against Molik, although the 23-year-old Australian has shown little respect for her supposed betters in Zurich this week.
The only previous meeting between Molik and Sharapova came at this year's grasscourt tournament in Birmingham, England, where the Russian won their quarter-final in straight sets.
Molik, in her first top level final, said: "I've beaten a lot of top 20 players this week so I'm on a roll and just hope I can continue that tomorrow."
