Madison Keys stunned second seed Iga Swiatek 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(8) in a thriller on Thursday to reach her first Australian Open final.
American Keys, the 19th seed, will meet double defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in Saturday's decider.
Five-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek came into the clash having not lost her serve in her last four matches at Melbourne Park but she was under immediate pressure when Keys took the opener and looked to consolidate the break.
Roared on by an army of Polish fans at Rod Laver Arena, Swiatek switched into battle mode and pulled it back and the pair swapped breaks once again before the second seed took control of the opening set at 4-2.
After rain prompted the closure of the roof, Keys came out swinging to close the gap and shrugged off a shocking mistake on an overhead smash at the net before drawing level at 5-5 but was unable to stop Swiatek from reeling off the next two games.
Experienced Keys, competing in her third semi-final at the Australian Open, continued to heap the pressure on with heavy ball-striking and impeccable serving to race ahead 5-0 in the next set before Swiatek avoided the embarrassment of a bagel.
Keys drew level at one set apiece with her seventh break in the match and made a solid start to the deciding set, hitting a backhand rocket to hold for 4-3, before rescuing four break points to go 5-4 up.
Swiatek responded and squandered a match point at 6-5 before taking the lead in the tiebreak but Keys battled back and sealed victory when the Pole hit a shot long.
Double defending champion Aryna Sabalenka overwhelmed Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-2 with a impressive display of raw power to reach her third successive Australian Open final on Thursday.
Sabalenka will be bidding for her fourth Grand Slam title in the women's decider on Saturday.
It was not the perfect game from the formidable Belarusian, however, as she trailed 2-0 in the first set with a slew of unforced errors.
But she soon found her mark and put her dependable forehand to work to end Badosa's run in her first Grand Slam semi-final.
"I have goosebumps. I'm so proud of myself and my team to put ourselves in this situation," said Sabalenka.
"If I put my name in history it will mean the world for me, I couldn't even dream of it ... I will go out and give everything in the final."
After taking the surprise early lead, 11th seed Badosa was constantly under siege on serve.
She hung tough to save a slew of break points but it felt like only a matter of time before Sabalenka crashed through her defences, which she duly did, breaking Badosa in the third and fifth games before holding firm to take the first set.
Badosa tried to conjure the fighting spirit that saw her eliminate Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals, in one of the shocks of the tournament.
But Sabalenka's pressure wore her down and she ended up double-faulting to drop serve in the third game of the second set.
World number one Sabalenka rode the momentum to a 5-1 lead before sealing the match in style with a cracking forehand down the line.
The two are good friends away from the court but it may be a while before the Spaniard can get over the defeat to hang out again with her Belarusian buddy.
"She'll probably hate me for a day or two and then we can be friends again and go out shopping. I promise we'll do that and I'll pay for whatever she wants," said Sabalenka.
Sabalenka is bidding to become the first woman to win three Australian Open titles in succession since Martina Hingis (1997-99).
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