Serena Williams, her insatiable will to win as strong as ever, regained her composure after smashing her racquet and being on the brink of defeat to beat Caroline Wozniacki 2-6 6-3 7-6(6) on Saturday and reach the title match at the WTA Finals.
The world number one will face Simona Halep in Sunday’s final after the pint-sized Romanian crushed Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2 6-2 in the second semi-final.
Halep also demolished Williams during the round-robin stages earlier in the tournament, setting the stage for a mouth-watering rematch with the world number one.
The best of friends off the court, Williams and Wozniacki slugged it out like two prizefighters for almost two and a quarter hours until Williams delivered the killer blow to end a contest filled with drama and escalating tension.
The American looked to be on the ropes after losing the first set and smashing her racquet in frustration, then falling 5-4 behind in the third set.
But Wozniacki, who lost to Williams in last month’s U.S. Open final, blinked first, missing her chance to serve out the match and the American made her pay by going on to win the deciding tie-breaker.
Williams only snuck into the semi-finals on a countback but is suddenly back on track to win the elite season-ending event for the third year in a row.
Wozniacki made a flying start to the match, reeling off the first three games for the loss of just three points.
Williams lost her opening service game when she hit a half-volley just over the baseline but held her next two, sealing her first game with a booming 190 km/h ace. The American was unable to make any early inroads on Wozniacki’s serve and her frustrations boiled over after she fell 5-2 behind.
She slammed her racquet into the purple hardcourts three times, destroying her equipment and incurring an official warning from the chair umpire Kader Nouni.
“I kind of lost my cool a little bit,” Williams said. “At least you know I’m passionate. I give 200 per cent.
“When I play, doesn’t matter how I feel, I’m going to give everything I have for every shot and every point.
“I’m not the kind of girl that goes out there and just plays through the motions and just doesn’t care whether I win or lose. I give everything.”
Unfazed by her opponent’s outburst, Wozniacki immediately broke Williams again to wrap up the opening set in just 25 minutes.