The world number 3 Svetlana Kuznetsova toiled for nearly two and three quarter hours under the baking Dubai sun before seeing off the determined challenge of Jelena Jankovic 5-7 6-4 6-3 in the first of the semi-finals.

The Russian, seeded 2, needed 7 match points before beating the fourth seeded Serb to set up an all Russian final with compatriot Elena Dementieva who ended the fine tournament run of Francesca Schiavone 5-7 7-5 6-2 in the night match.

"It was important for me to stay focused", Kuznetsova said. "I just stayed calm and played my game in the third set, using more spin as playing flat suits her game more. I think I mixed it up well."

Although the Russian served for the opening set at 5-3, she was immediately broken back in the next game to 30. The Serbian then saved a set point in the next game on serve when a Kuznetsova attempted running backhand crosscourt pass went wide. Jankovic broke again and held serve to take the set 7-5 in 68 minutes.

The second set saw Kuznetsova break early on her way to a 3-0 lead, but was pegged back to 3-3 as the Serb matched her stroke for stroke from the baseline, capitalising on the frequent errors from the Russian. When Jankovic broke again to move ahead 4-3 with a run of 4 games, it looked for all the world that another upset was on the cards. Crucially however, the Russian broke straight back to level at 4-4 and then broke again to take the set on a lucky let-cord backhand volley winner that her exasperated opponent could only frown at.

Despite breaking at the start of the third set, Jankovic could not maintain any kind of momentum as her conditioning gradually went south. From 2-2, Kuznetsova seized the initiative with a run of three games and should have closed it out in the eighth game when she somehow managed to squander no less than 5 match point opportunities, mainly with errors.

She redeemed herself by wasting no time in serving it out in the next game to love, and will start a strong favourite to lift her first title here in Dubai tomorrow.

"I'm feeling confident out there", Kuznetsova said. "I'm working out the right strategy for each match. It doesn't matter that I am the favourite tomorrow, they are both dangerous. What it says on paper doesn't mean much."

Jankovic admitted that the key to her losing the match was her lack of fitness: "I was tired, exhausted in the third set", she said. "At the end of the second set I gave her 3 or 4 points in a row. She was getting stronger and I dropped down; a lot of things start to fall apart when you are tired. Last year I had no problem playing 4 hours, now it's a problem to play for 2. I just have to get back into shape again."

Andre Jones

Dubai