Maria Sharapova secured her place in the final of the Madrid Open for the second consecutive year with a comfortable 6-1 6-4 win over Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska.
The four-time grand slam champion will face 22 year old Romanian Simona Halep who ground out a hard-fought 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 6-2 victory over fifth seed Petra Kvitova.
By reaching the final, the fourth seed Halep has already achieved her best result at a WTA premier event as she chases an eighth career title.
Sharapova's chances of going one better than 2013 were boosted when Serena Williams, the Madrid champion the past two years, withdrew on Friday with a thigh injury.