Daniela Hantuchova put the dark days behind her on Friday to upset top seed Amelie Mauresmo 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 at the Eastbourne International and reach her first final since October 2002.

Once ranked as high as number five but now wallowing at 54, the Slovak suffered a torrid 2003 as her skeletal appearance prompted concerns about her diet and health.

But on Friday, as seagulls wheeled overhead, the 21-year-old's smile was broad and bright after her triumph against the French world number four.

"I'm back where I want to be," she smiled. "It has been a while since I've played like I have this week but it is because I am relaxed again and enjoying my game."

She will face Svetlana Kuznetsova in Saturday's final. The second-seeded 18-year-old put out fellow-Russian teenager Vera Zvonareva 3-6, 7-6, 6-1 in the other semi-final on the South Coast.

Hantuchova has put on more than a stone in weight since last year and she put the extra power to good use, leaning into her serves and keeping Mauresmo on the back foot in the early stages.

She chased down a Mauresmo drop shot in the ninth game to show she has lost none of her pace and then slammed her second ace of the match.

An accomplished doubles player, Hantuchova is adept at the net and attacked whenever possible but Mauresmo too is aggressive on grass and always looked to take the initiative away from the Slovak.

CONFIDENCE BOOST

As nerves began to take hold, Mauresmo piled on the pressure and a sliced return gave the Frenchwoman a break point which she converted with a miss-hit backhand drop shot.

The top seed held to take the opening set with some superb grasscourt tennis in 42 minutes.

Nothing could separate the pair early in the second set and this time the Slovak kept her nerve in the latter stages.

She stayed ahead serving comfortably as the sun broke through the clouds and earned a set point at 5-4 with a whipped backhand pass.

Mauresmo saved that one but Hantuchova earned a second with a bunted backhand down the same side. This time Hantuchova snatched it when Mauresmo netted a drop volley.

Hantuchova punched her fist in the air, and skipped back to her seat, her confidence clearly boosted.

The pair both struggled to hold serve in the decider. Hantuchova finally held from the south end of the court -- the first to do so in the third set -- to move 5-4 ahead and once again heap the pressure on Mauresmo.

The Frenchwoman crumbled under some withering returns, Hantuchova clinching victory with a lunged forehand pass down the line.