Serena Williams emerged from an error-strewn 6-2, 7-6(7) victory over Maria Sharapova to book a meeting with Victoria Azarenka in the final of the Brisbane International.
Williams served up seven aces but also produced the same number of double faults of which her Russian opponent made eight.
Both women were deserted by their serves, with the pair completing 10 breaks between them in a match lasting a little under an hour and three quarters.
Pumped up: Serena Williams celebrates after beating Maria Sharapova in straight sets in Brisbane
The American broke in the sixth game of the match for 4-2 before going on to hold, with a double fault by Sharapova handing the world number one the set 6-2.
Neither woman could hold serve but nor could Williams see the match out, allowing Sharapova back in when serving for the match at 6-5 as the Russian forced a tie-break.
Williams moved to 6-5 and match point which she failed to capitalise upon before finally going through at 9-7 to seal her 14th win in a row over Sharapova.
On one leg: Sharapova plays a forehand as she loses to Williams for the 14th consecutive match
It means the world's top two players will meet at Queensland Tennis Centre and Williams told a press conference: 'It'll be a good match to see where we both stand.
'She's so intense on court; off court she's so cool, there's a lot of mutual respect.'
Azarenka overcame a poor start to post a 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over former world number one Jelena Jankovic.
The Australian Open champion dropped her first three service games and committed constant unforced errors as her opponent clinched the set in less than half an hour.
Fighter: Victoria Azarenka came back from a set down to beat Jelena Jankovic in the Brisbane semi-finals
However, she broke for a 2-0 lead in the second and from thereon in settled down and forced a deciding set.
The Belarusian moved to 5-1 only for Jankovic to win three consecutive games but Azarenka held her nerve and managed to serve it out with her second match point.
She said: 'If you want to win big titles you got to play against the best players, so I feel great about having that challenge every time I step on the court.'
Serena's older sister Venus had an easy passage to her 72nd WTA tour final at the ASB Classic in Auckland as semi-final opponent Jamie Hampton pulled out before the match with a right hip injury.
Easy day: Venus Williams is through to the final of the ASB Classic in Auckland after Jamie Hampton pulled out
Venus will take on second seed Ana Ivanovic, who beat Kirsten Flipkens 6-0, 7-6(3).
Heather Watson came through her opening match in qualifying for the AIPA International in Sydney, beating Johanna Larsson 4-6, 6-0, 6-1.
The 21-year-old Brit faces a tough match next on Saturday against the American world No 48 Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
Battling through: Heather Watson beat Johanna Larsson to move into the second round of qualifying
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