Italian dynamo Sara Errani stopped Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-4, 6-4 on Friday to win a gruelling match and reach her second career final at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Errani played the 2013 final at the Aviation Club, losing to Czech Petra Kvitova, but now has the chance to go one better.
The number 22 took just under two hours of battle to dismiss her 21st-ranked opponent, one of a crop of up-and-coming hopes on the WTA.
The tournament has had an unprecedented run at this edition, setting a record with all eight seeds losing by the end of the second round; that statistical blip had never previously occurred on the women's Tour.
Errani will play for the title on Saturday against either Czech Barbora Strycova, who put out drawcard Ana Ivanovic in the quarter-finals, or Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia.
Errani won despite 31 unforced errors and just 12 winners in steamy desert conditions. She kept Svitolina on the defensive throughout, forcing the Ukrainian to save nine break points.
"I just tried to play focussed on every one. I'm really excited to play another final - it's amazing," Errani said.
"It was really tough today, it was hot. Most of the games were very long with a lot of points. It was a big battle."
The Italian will be looking for a ninth career trophy as she competes in her 19th final.
