Caroline Wozniacki took a step closer to usurping Serena Williams as the new world number one after reaching the final of the Pan Pacific Open.
The Dane could take the top ranking if she lifts the trophy and reaches the last four in next week's China Open.
The top seed had to dig deep in Tokyo, though, holding off Belarussian Victoria Azarenka 6-2 6-7 (3-7) 6-4.
Wozniacki will face Elena Dementieva in Sunday's final after the Russian beat Italian Francesca Schiavone 6-4 7-5.
American Williams was forced out of the events in Tokyo and China after failing to recover fully from a foot injury.
And that has created a window of opportunity for Wozniacki, who endured a hard-fought battle to overcome eighth seed Azarenka, despite a comfortable first set.
After letting the second set slip on a tie-break - despite Azarenka failing to close out the set on serve thanks to a double fault - Wozniacki then allowed her Belarussian opponent to recover from 5-0 down to 5-4 in the final set before closing out victory.
"At 5-0 in the final set I felt really good, I thought the match was mine," Wozniacki said. "Then Victoria started playing well and all of a sudden the score is 5-4 and I knew I had to close it out with my serve.
"The third set was really tough. It was like a new match, a new game."
Both players struggled on serve, with Azarenka conceding 12 double faults, including the one that allowed Wozniacki to level the second set 6-6.
"I may have come back from 5-1 or 5-2 before, but never 5-love," said the Belarussian. "I lost my concentration but it's hard to keep your concentration for that long."
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