Iga Swiatek swept aside Belinda Bencic to set up a Wimbledon final clash with Amanda Anisimova.
The Pole has been growing in confidence on grass all fortnight and was calmness personified in a 6-2 6-0 victory over Bencic that lasted just 72 minutes.
It would have been even quicker but for a lengthy delay three games into the contest when, for a third time on Centre Court on Thursday, a spectator was taken unwell.
All the heat on the court was coming from the racket of Swiatek, who has somewhat improbably surged back to form on the lawns in SW19.
It was, by her exceedingly lofty standards, a torrid campaign on her favoured clay for the 24-year-old but a run to the final of the grass-court tournament in Bad Homburg on the eve of Wimbledon appears to have been the catalyst.
That was the first final Swiatek had reached at any level since winning her fifth grand slam title at the French Open last spring, and now she is only one match away from matching Carlos Alcaraz by winning major trophies on each surface.
Given her extra experience at the latter stages of slams, and the fact she is yet to lose a final, she will go in as the favourite against Anisimova, who nevertheless will bring a lot more firepower than Bencic.
The Swiss has had a superb fortnight and will return to the top 20 on Monday less than nine months after returning to the tour following the birth of daughter Bella last April.
She was on the back foot from the start here, though, as Swiatek began with purpose and seized on the underpowered serve of her opponent.
The hot weather has resulted in hard, bouncy courts, and they have certainly been to the Pole's liking, with Swiatek converting a 3-0 lead into a straightforward first set.
She wobbled slightly at the start of the second, serving two double faults, but Bencic could not take advantage and Swiatek swiftly set about turning a first Wimbledon semi-final into a maiden final.
Earlier in the day an inspired Anisimova tore up the script and soared into her maiden Wimbledon final by outclassing world number one Sabalenka 6-4 4-6 6-4 with a display of fierce determination and fearless shot-making.
Anisimova's victory extended her win-loss record over her equally big-hitting rival to 6-3 and kept alive American hopes of a third women's Grand Slam champion this year after Madison Keys won the Australian Open and Coco Gauff the French Open.
At an oven-like Centre Court where the temperature climbed to 30 degrees Celsius, Sabalenka twice rushed to the aid of ill fans by supplying bottles of cold water and an ice pack, before she cracked under pressure from her opponent in the 10th game.
The 23-year-old Anisimova, playing in her first major semi-final since her 2019 French Open run as a gifted teenager, made her opponent sweat for every point and wrapped up the opening set when Sabalenka produced a double fault.
With her back against the wall, Sabalenka roared back like a tiger, the animal that has become her totem, and broke for a 4-3 lead en route to levelling up the match at one set apiece after some sloppy errors from 13th seed Anisimova's racket.
Having matched each other's decibel levels in a cacophony of grunting, the duo swapped breaks at the start of the decider but Anisimova pounced again when Sabalenka sent a shot long and went on to book a final with Swiatek.
"This doesn't feel real right now," said Anisimova afterwards. "Aryna is such a tough competitor and I was absolutely dying out there.
"She's an inspiration to me and so many other people.
"To come out on top and be in the final at Wimbledon is incredibly special.
"I have my beautiful family over there, my sister, nephew and brother-in-law. What a journey the last two weeks have been."
Her win is all the more remarkable because Anisimova had to take an extended break from tennis in 2023 to prioritise her mental health.
"To be honest if you told me then I'd be in the final at Wimbledon I would not believe you," she added.
"To be in this spot is not easy. To be in the final is indescribable."
