Australian Open:Serena Williams and Justine Henin will contest the Australian Open women's singles final after contrasting straight-sets victories in this morning's semi-finals.
Williams was taken to two tie-breaks by China's Li Na, while Henin lost just a single game - the first of the match - in dispatching Zheng Jie.
Defending champion Williams was fully extended by 16th seed Li, who was appearing in her first grand slam semi-final, before prevailing 7-6 (7/4) 7-6 (7/1) in just over two hours.
Li had shown her battling qualities in her comeback win over Williams' sister Venus yesterday and fended off four match points to frustrate the American's charge.
But Williams stamped her class on the contest when it counted most in each tie-beak to claim her 50th win at Melbourne Park.
The 28-year-old served out the match with an ace and let out a loud scream of delight after the closely-fought match.
"I had so many match points and I blew it," a relieved Williams said. "I knew on serve (in the tie-break) I had the chance to close it out and I did. I had to because she is an amazing fighter."
Williams will now aim for a 12th grand slam title to equal the mark of Billy-Jean King, who will be in Melbourne for the final.
"That's the goal," Williams said. "I have a long career to keep trying to do it, but if it doesn't happen this year then I'll keep trying."
Henin is one step away from completing a fairytale return from retirement after racing to a 6-1 6-0 win over Zheng in just 51 minutes.
Henin is playing just her second tournament following a 20-month retirement and is on course to replicate fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters' remarkable return when she won the US Open after coming back from retirement and becoming a mother.
Henin's win was the most routine of her difficult run to the final so far that has seen her overcome world number five Elena Dementieva, Yanina Wickmayer (16) and Nadia Petrova (19).
After Zheng held serve in the opening game Henin, who won at Melbourne Park in 2004, strung the next 12 games together to dominate her unseeded rival.