Amelie Mauresmo pummelled Martina Hingis 6-2, 6-2 on Friday to reach the Qatar Open final and move within one victory of the world number one spot.
Mauresmo, who has already won three titles this year including the Australian Open, will face Russian second seed Nadia Petrova in Saturday's final.
Victory in that match will catapult the Frenchwoman to the top of the rankings, past Belgian Kim Clijsters who is out of action with an ankle injury.
It was a commanding performance from the fluent Mauresmo, never letting former world number one Hingis find her rhythm.
Hingis managed to hold her first two service games, but was then broken six times in a row as Mauresmo's ferocious topspin and extreme angles began to wreak havoc in the baseline exchanges.
"I am happy that I am in the final," said Mauresmo, who had not faced Hingis since 2001.
"I think I got it right out there. I served well and returned well. I was seeing the ball well and I was able to play my shots."
Hingis, who returned from retirement this year after a three-year break from the game, dropped serve in the fifth game after some relentless pressure. Mauresmo then powered away to take the opener.
Hingis managed two breaks of the Mauresmo serve in the second set. However she was being pulled all over the court and gradually wilted under the onslaught.
Mauresmo saved two break points at 3-2 and that effectively ended the Hingis resistance. A netted backhand volley ended contest after 63 minutes.
"I'm a bit disappointed. But I lost to the best player," said Hingis. "She (Mauresmo) is the player to beat. I am not unhappy with my game because I know I'm progressing.
"But having said that I know there are certain areas of my game where I need to concentrate more."
Mauresmo said it would take a while for Hingis to return to the form that gave her five grand slam titles.
"(Martina) Hingis is a great player. I don't think she has to prove anything. Perhaps, coming back after a long gap and hitting top form would take some time, I feel," she said.
Petrova, ranked eighth in the world, overcame stiff resistance in the second set to beat Sugiyama 6-1, 7-6.
The Russian, a quarter-finalist at this year's Australian Open, looked to be cruising to victory at 4-0 in the second set, only for Sugiyama to reel off five straight games.
Petrova steadied herself in the tiebreaker, however, battering a backhand down the line on her first matchpoint.
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