Victoria Azarenka will meet Maria Sharapova in the final of the Bank Of The West Classic in California on Sunday.
Azarenka celebrated her birthday by beating top seed Samantha Stosur 6-2 6-3 to seal a place in the showpiece.
The eighth-seeded Belarusian, playing on her 21st birthday, was in control from start to finish to book a showpiece meeting with Maria Sharapova, who beat Agnieszka Radwanska 1-6 6-2 6-2.
Stosur has a dreadful record against Azarenka, having never taken a set off her, and she seldom looked like changing that record here.
Fifth seed Sharapova has looked impressive at times this week but she was well off the pace as she lost the first set against Radwanska 6-1.
But she fought back to dominate the second and third sets, winning in two hours after Radwanska saved four match points, and will now fancy her chances in the final.
