Japan's Naomi Osaka crushed Italian Camila Giorgi 6-2, 6-3 in Tokyo on Saturday to set up a Pan Pacific Open final against Czech Karolina Pliskova.
Third seed Osaka needed just 71 minutes to complete her 10th straight win after capturing a historic US Open title earlier this month.
Former world number one Pliskova beat Croatia's Donna Vekic 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 but took well over two hours to get the job done.
Osaka, however, made quick work of a dangerous opponent who had knocked out top seed and defending champion Caroline Wozniacki, breaking twice in a one-sided first set which she took with a blistering forehand down the line.
The 20-year-old, who has climbed to seventh in the world rankings since her stunning victory over Serena Williams, piled on the pressure in the second. A brutal Osaka forehand forced a break in the fifth game, before a vicious backhand return forced Giorgi to whiff a shot beyond the baseline on match point. "I was pretty nervous because I really wanted to get to the final," said 2016 runner-up Osaka, who fired down nine aces in a dominant display.
