Maria Sharapova remains on course for a first WTA title since returning from a drugs ban after beating Peng Shuai in straight sets in the semi-finals of the Tianjin Open.
The five-time grand slam champion needed just 78 minutes to beat third seed Peng 6-3 6-1 and is now just 1/8 to win the final against world number 102 Aryna Sabalenka.
Sharapova, a tournament wildcard, made the perfect start by breaking Peng's serve in the first game of the match and closed out the set with another break.
Peng had held her own for much of the opening set but former world number one Sharapova broke early in the second and completed a comfortable win.
Sharapova, who made her comeback in April, has advanced to her first WTA final since May 2015 without dropping a set. She's 4/9 to win the final in straights.
The 30-year-old will meet teenager Sabalenka in Sunday's final after the Belarusian defeated Italy's Sara Errani 6-1 6-3. Sabalenka is 5/1 to spring a surprise on Sunday.
Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Daria Gavrilova of Australia are the Hong Kong Open finalists.
Sixth seed Pavlyuchenkova overcame Wang Qiang 6-3 6-4 while Gavrilova, seeded seventh, beat Jennifer Brady 6-0 7-5.
Pavlyuchenkova is 4/6 favourite for the final, with Gavrilova 6/5.
Czech Republic's Barbora Strycova (8/13) will face top seed Magdalena Rybarikova (5/4) in the final of the Linz Open in Austria.
Second seed Strycova was a 6-3 7-6 (7/3) winner in her semi-final against Romanian Mihaela Buzarnescu, while Slovakian Rybarikova was a 6-4 6-4 victor over Switzerland's Viktorija Golubic.
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