British No.1 Johanna Konta has booked a place in the final of the Aegon Open in Nottingham with a 6-2 7-5 win over Magdalena Rybarikova.
Top seed Konta, 26, maintained her record of having yet to drop a set in the tournament as she closed in on her first WTA title on home soil.
Playing in the semi-finals of the competition for the first time, Konta was quickly into her rhythm, breaking Rybarikova in the fifth game of the match.
She did not look back, breaking the Slovakian again shortly afterwards to confidently take the opening set 6-2.
Konta looked to be cruising as she broke in the first game of the second set, but Rybarikova immediately hit back.
Temperatures continued to soar and there was a break in play as medics helped a female spectator who was struggling with the heat, with Konta handing over her umbrella.
The set went with serve until the 11th game when a double fault from Rybarikova gifted Konta the advantage before she served out the match.
Konta, who is now ranked eight in the world feels her game is coming together at the right time.
"I'm looking to constantly improve and evolve as a player, regardless of surface," Konta said.
"The good thing is that the things that you work on do transfer from surface to surface.
"I'd like to think I've improved in all areas of my game since last year this time and I'm glad that it's also coming through on the grass."
Konta will now take on Donna Vekic in Sunday's final after the Croatian caused an upset by outlasting fifth seed Lucie Safarova 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 7-6 (7-4).
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