Serena Williams remains in the hunt to equal Steffi Graf's record of 22 Grand Slam titles after booking her place in the French Open final.
The defending champion held firm against a spirited performance from Holland's Kiki Bertens, taking the match 7-6(7) 6-4 in one hour 38 minutes.
© AFP
Bertens entered the match having already ousted Timea Bacsinszky and Williams's sister Venus, and showed early signs of another big scalp with a break in the very first game.
Indeed, Williams was made to battle hard to stay in the first set - at one point saving three break points - before levelling things up to 5-5 when Bertens slipped when serving for the set.
The tie-break was a tense affair, with both women squandering set points before Williams made the breakthrough to take it 9-7.
The second set was slightly more comfortable for Williams as she got her nose in front with a crucial break in the seventh game. Bertens was not to roll over, however, saving three match points at 5-3 as Williams repeatedly returned wide.
That proved to be her final stand though as a visibly-exhausted Williams made certain of the result with a fierce forehand to set up a final meeting with Spain's Garbine Muguruza.
