Andrew Wu at Melbourne Park
Serbian No.3 seed and crowd favourite Ana Ivanovic has won through to her first Australian Open final after overcoming a shocking start to defeat Slovak Daniela Hantuchova in a dramatic semi-final on Thursday.
Comprehensively outplayed in the opening set by Hantuchova, Ivanovic recovered to win 0-6 6-3 6-4 in two hours and 10 minutes and book a berth in Saturday's final against Maria Sharapova.
After squandering the first eight games of the match, Ivanovic needed all the help of the Melbourne crowd, which has warmed to the 20-year-old in the past 11 days, to fight her way back into the match.
Her improved fitness proved pivotal in gaining the decisive break in the penultimate game of the match.
Hopelessly out of court, Ivanovic showed no sign of fatigue to return a drop shot from Hantuchova, who, with the whole court open, subsequently netted her volley to effectively end her title hopes.
Labelled the underdog prior to the match, Hantuchova, playing in her first grand slam semi-final, showed no nerves at all in a one-sided opening against Ivanovic, who was a finalist at Roland Garros last year.
She had the first set wrapped up to love in just 25 minutes after conceding only nine points.
When she broke Ivanovic to lead 2-0 it seemed that Hantuchova was all but through to Saturday's final.
But Hantuchova started to tighten up and was broken in the third and fifth games of the set.
The tension became unbearable in the final set. With games on service, Hantuchova's serve was the first under pressure at 30-30 in the fifth game but she managed to hold her nerve.
It was then Ivanovic's turn to be tested. In a game which lasted 14 minutes, Ivanovic saved a break point with an imperious forehand winner then held after being pushed to deuce seven times.
The drama reached a climax in the ninth game. With Hantuchova staring at a break point, she had a baseline call ruled against her only to be immediately corrected.
Ivanovic unsuccessfully questioned the over-rule, leaving both players without the right to challenge.
An errant volley later handed the break to Ivanovic, who comfortably served out the match at her first opportunity.