Daria Gavrilova is eyeing her maiden career title after upsetting top-seeded titleholder Agnieszka Radwanska in straight sets to surge into the Connecticut Open final.
In a huge US Open morale booster, Gavrilova outclassed the former world No.2 and Wimbledon finalist 6-4 6-4 to set up a title showdown with 2016 season-ending championship winner Dominika Cibulkova.
Gavrilova lost her only previous WTA Tour finals to fellow Australian Samantha Stosur in Strasbourg in May and to former Russian compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova in Moscow last October.
"I'm really hungry for it. Yeah, it will feel like I've achieved something pretty special," Gavrilova said after snapping Radwanska's six-match winning streak in New Haven.
Cibulkova also has some motivation, with the Slovakian looking for her ninth career win, but her first this season.
She pumped her fist and shouted "Finally" after nailing a forehand volley to put away Belgian qualifier Elise Mertens 6-1 6-3.
"I didn't win three matches in a row the whole season this year," Cibulkova said.
"It's finally here."
Gavrilova will be brimming with confidence after guaranteeing herself a big rankings rise after holding her nerve to take out the 10th-ranked Radwanska.
After dominating the first set from 4-0 up, Gavrilova briefly stumbled serving for the match at 5-4 in the second.
But she saved a break point with only her second ace of the match before closing out the contest with an overhead winner after one hour and 33 minutes.
"I trusted my game plan and I think I executed it very well," Gavrilova said.
"I was pretty aggressive and taking chances whenever I could on her second serve."
The 23-year-old is projected to climb to No.22 in the world - and will crack the top 20 for the first time if she beats Cibulkova.
Runner-up to Victoria Azarenka at the 2014 Australian Open, Cibulkova has never played Gavrilova.
Seeded 25th for the final grand slam of the year starting on Monday, Gavrilova earlier on Friday drew American qualifier Allie Kiick for her US Open opener as she also chases her first main-draw win at Flushing Meadows.
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