Serena Williams set up a final showdown with U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova after the American overcame a tearful Vera Zvonareva 6-2, 6-3 at the China Open on Saturday.

Russian Kuznetsova beat compatriot and Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova 6-2, 6-2.

"I never lost focus, I never thought I was going to go down tonight," former world number one Williams said after ruthlessly charging through her semi-final.

"I've been really relaxed here. I've really enjoyed myself here in Beijing ... I've been so relaxed it must have come out on the court."

Williams, now ranked 10th, began confidently as she blasted four aces and several passing winners past her fourth-seeded Russian opponent.

Zvonareva was clearly shaken after losing the first set on a break but came back strongly in a see-saw second set.

The players traded two breaks before Williams pulled away and left Zvonareva in tears.

Fighting back her tears, Zvonareva told reporters: "I couldn't hold my serve because of some double faults and my first serve percentage wasn't so good and it gave her a chance to break."

FOUND GROOVE

In the earlier semi-final, Kuznetsova found her groove midway through the first set and broke Sharapova five times.

"My serve helped me a lot today. I've been serving well and receiving well ... She likes to win easy points and I didn't want to give them to her," the 19-year-old Kuznetsova said.

Third seed Sharapova, 17, came out firing, smashing three winners in the first three points and breaking Kuznetsova in the first game.

"I was so frustrated at the start because it was so windy, I couldn't put the ball to the sides," Kuznetsova said.

She turned things around with an ace to win the third game after saving two break points. Kuznetsova then broke Sharapova three times to win the set.

Sharapova's serve turned distinctly rocky and Kuznetsova took two more breaks in the second set, including in the last game when her opponent capitulated with a double fault at match point.

"She went out today and she was the better player. I wasn't really there," Sharapova said.

"I think it really was the confidence. When somebody has played so well and just won a major and another victory last week, they're basically unstoppable."

Kuznetsova followed up her triumph at Flushing Meadows with victory in Bali last Sunday.

Williams will face her fourth Russian opponent in Beijing when she takes on Kuznetsova in the final.

"I've played all Russians. I feel like I've been playing a tournament in Russia," Williams joked referring to her wins over Dinara Safina, Nadia Petrova and Zvonareva.

The Russian remained unfazed by the prospect of playing the leader of the "Russian tsunami" in the final.

Asked if she was back in top form, Williams said, "Oh, my God, no! You haven't seen anything yet."