World number three Iga Swiatek powered to a 7-5 6-3 win over Elena Rybakina to reach the final of the Cincinnati Open for the first time.
The 2022 All England winner Rybakina - who had swept past world number one and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in the quarter-finals - started brightly.
However, reigning Wimbledon champion Swiatek was always in control after recovering an early break in the opening set.
"That was a tough match," said the Polish third seed. "At the beginning it was pretty crazy, we played so fast that sometimes we couldn't even run to the second ball.