Maria Sharapova has overcome the gutsy challenge of Daria Gavrilova to reach the Italian Open final in Rome.
The world number three was pushed all the way by the qualifier before eventually sealing a 7-5 6-3 triumph.
Earlier this year, Gavrilova registered a win over Sharapova in Miami, and from the opening game, the younger of the two Russians showed that she had the game to trouble the five-time major winner on a different surface.
Sharapova created six break-point opportunities but Gavrilova saved all of them to take the opening set to 5-5, but in the 12th game, Sharapova finally broke through to move into the lead.
The first seven games of the second went with serve as Gavrilova showed no signs of wilting, but Sharapova attacked in the eighth game to seal the vital break before serving out the contest.
The 28-year-old's opponent in the final will be Carla Suarez Navarro, who fought back to beat Simona Halep earlier on Saturday.
Darren Plant
