Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova has withstood a furious fightback to beat Angelique Kerber in three sets to book her spot in the Pan Pacific Open tennis final in Tokyo.
Saturday’s match appeared headed for a blowout after the 26-year-old Russian, vying for her third title this year, took the first eight games against the former world No.1.
However, Kerber dug in and broke Pavlyuchenkova’s serve in the third game of the second set, before the 29-year-old German forced a tiebreaker and stole the second set.
A rattled Pavlyuchenkova dropped the first three games of the final set but regained her composure to win six of the final seven games and notch the 6-0 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 victory.
Pavlyuchenkova will face new world No.1 Garbine Muguruza or defending champion Caroline Wozniacki in the final.