Roger Federer crushed Milos Raonic 6-2, 6-3, to reach the final of the Cincinnati Masters for a sixth time on Saturday.
The Swiss second seed, a five-time winner, needed barely an hour to impose his game on the Canadian fifth seed, whom he has now defeated in all six of their matches.
Federer will take a perfect 15-0 record into his Sunday final against David Ferrer.
The Spaniard needed five match points to end a dream run for Julien Benneteau and advance 6-3, 6-2 into the final of the Cincinnati Master.
Ferrer, 32, will be playing for his first Masters 1000 title since losing to Novak Djokovic last November at Paris Bercy.
Federer produced four love games in the opening set against Raonic and broke for 5-3 in the second before closing out the straightforward win.
“Breaking in the first game was crucial,” said Federer. “It was more of a fight in the second set. I’m very happy with this match.
“I good stats and I’m happy, but the final is tomorrow and I hope to do it again.
“I’m happy with my results, it’s much more fun playing this way. I’ve had a complete season so far and I hope to win another title.” Ferrer will be bidding for a 22nd career trophy as he plays Cincinnati for the 11th time.
Ferrer advanced over Benneteau in 71 minutes for his 43rd win of the season.
“I played without a lot of mistakes but it was difficult to return sometimes. I played very consistently, and got the break, then I could play with calm,” Ferrer said.
“It was maybe my best of the week.” Ferrer emerged from a quarter of the draw, which had originally included top seed Novak Djokovic and Toronto champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, both losers in their first match at the pre-US Open event.
Ferrer’s win came in his 15th Masters semi-final; he will be playing in his seventh final at the elite level.
On the women’s side, Serena Williams will face Ana Ivanovic for the fourth time this season after the Serb won a roller-coaster match against Maria Sharapova 6-2, 5-7, 7-5.
Ivanovic led by a set and 5-2 only to face a screaming Sharapova fightback in which the five-time grand slam champion levelled at a set each with an ace.
Ivanovic was treated for illness during the second game of the final set, with nerves, heat and humidity combining to overwhelm here momentarily.
But she was back on her feet after a few moments and back in the fight.
The pair traded breaks in the third set, with Ivanovic saving a pair of break points in the tenth game as Sharapova delivered two straight doubles faults to bring her total to seven for that set alone.
Ivanovic maintained concentration with a break two games later to end the long evening lasting nearly three hours, going through to the final on the second match point.
Williams will be playing her second final from three hardcourt events as the top seed won a break-marred semi 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 over Caroline Wozniacki.
The battle between a pair of good friends lasted for slightly less than one and three-quarter hours, with Wozniacki committing eight double-faults. Williams won the Stanford event last month and reached a Toronto semi-final.
Williams will play for her 62nd career title on Sunday. She stands 37-6 on the season after winning Stanford in July, then reaching last week’s Montreal semi-finals against her sister Venus.
“I was feeling tired today, so in the second set I just told myself to hit big serves,” said Williams. “I gave all that I had in me today.
“I had not been expecting to do this well over the summer. I knew I needed matches so I entered three tournaments. But I’m still here.”
