Tennis: Ana Ivanovic set up a French Open final clash with Dinara Safina after defeating Jelena Jankovic in three sets on Thursday.
The much anticipated all-Serbian encounter lived up to its billing as the spectators on Philippe Chatrier Court were treated to a thriller, the match ebbing and flowing before the number two seed prevailed with a 6-4 3-6 6-4 victory.
Ivanovic's victory over the third-seeded Jankovic means she is guaranteed to be the new world number one when the latest WTA rankings are released on Monday.
Earlier, Safina spared herself yet another drama to book her first grand slam final place when she saw off fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3 6-2.
"I'm still here today," said Safina, the younger sister of two-times grand slam winner Marat Safin who had recovered from match point in the two previous rounds against compatriots Maria Sharapova and Elena Dementieva.
"I am really happy because I played well today. I feel it's amazing. I was taking it just day by day and the less you expect, the more you get."
"I'm doing it for him and for myself, I'm doing it for the family," she added, referring to her brother, who has never reached the final at Roland Garros but won the US Open in 2000 and the Australian Open three years ago.
Safina said she would be ready to dig deep in the final but she was not stretched by Kuznetsova.
She held her nerve and it was the fourth seed who showed signs of cracking, sending a ball into the crowd in frustration.
"It was a horrible match. I could not serve, I could not play my forehand, it was one of my worst matches against her," said Kuznetsova, who had won her last two matches on clay against Safina, including a 7-6 6-0 quarter-final win at Roland Garros two years ago.
"She played every ball, she was more consistent."