FILDERSTADT, Germany (AFP) - France's Amelie Mauresmo assured her world number one spot when she beat US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia to advance to a final showdown with leading rival Lindsay Davenport in the 650,000-dollar WTA event here.
Top seed Mauresmo needed to win in Saturday's semi-final to hold off world number two Davenport, seeded second here.
And the Frenchwoman ousted fourth-seeded Kuznetsova 7-5, 6-4 for her third win in as many meetings with the 19-year-old Russian.
Kuznetsova dominated early play, but Mauresmo jumped on a chance to break at the end of the first set and held her advantage.
"I got a break chance and took it," said Mauresmo. "She didn't use all her chances, but it was still a tough match."
Davenport, 28, later assured her spot in her ninth final of the season by scoring her fourth win over French Open champion Anastasia Myskina, the third seed from Russia, in as many meetings 6-2, 6-4.
The 25-year-old Mauresmo will hold her number one status even if Davenport, winner here in 2001, wins a Tour-leading sixth title of 2004.
But Davenport has another shot next week to reclaim the ranking she last held in June 2001 with both players scheduled to compete in the Kremlin Cup in Moscow.
Mauresmo and Davenport meet for the 11th time on Sunday, with the American having won seven of their previous meetings, most recently in the Amelia Island final where Davenport won 6-4, 6-4.
This will be the third time the two players have met in a final on the WTA Tour and are currently split at 1-1 in championship matches.
Along with Davenport's triumph at Amelia Island, Mauresmo won the Sydney title in 2000 by defeating the American in straight sets.
It will also be the first time they've faced one another in Filderstadt since 2001, the year Davenport went on to win the title.