Ana Ivanovic produced a stirring comeback from a set down to book a meeting with Maria Sharapova in the final of the Australian Open after the fourth seed overcame Daniela Hantuchova 0-6 6-3 6-4.
After being outplayed in the opening eight games of the semi-final encounter, the Serb dug deep and battled back to complete what at one stage looked an unlikely comeback on the Rod Laver Arena.
A nervous start from Ivanovic saw Hantuchova claim a break in her opponents opening service game before the 24-year-old held serve and broke again to take a 3-0 lead.
Hantuchova held to increase that advantage and Ivanovic's uncertainty with her serve continued as the Slovak raced through the first set to take it 6-0
Ivanovic's problems continued at the start of the second when she lost her opening service game on a disputed call on break point that saw Hantuchova challenge the line judge and a replay overruled the original call in the Slovakian's favour.
She consolidated that advantage in her next service game to take a 2-0 lead before Ivanovic finally had some success, holding her serve to chalk up her first game of the match.
That appeared to boost the 20-year-old`s confidence and she broke Hantuchova's serve in the next game thanks to a fortuitous net-cord that kept a return in play before her opponent sent the ball long.
The next three games went with serve but, with the score at 4-3, Hantuchova double-faulted on break point to hand Ivanovic the upper hand for the first time and she held serve in the next game to take the set 6-3.
Both players held serve during the first five games of the third before Ivanovic found herself facing break point at 30-40 but after a fierce forehand set up a tense and lengthy deuce, she eventually came through.
And the decisive break then came in the ninth game. Hantuchova found herself 0-30 down after a double fault and at 30-40, hit a return that looked long.
Ivanovic challenged a corrected call but the replay showed the ball was in by the slenderest of margins.
The point was replayed and Ivanovic looked on the ropes as she stretched to make a return near the net but Hantuchova somehow hit a volley into the with the court at her mercy.
That proved enough for Ivanovic, who then served out the match to set up a clash with Sharapova.
