Serena Williams ended the fairytale run of Mirjana Lucic-Baroni at the Australian Open on Thursday with a crushing 6-2 6-1 win that set up a final against her sister Venus.
The world number two was back to her ruthless best at Rod Laver Arena, charging out of the blocks to give the 79th-ranked Croatian no time to settle and roaring to victory in 50 minutes.
Serena, a six-times Melbourne Park champion, wrapped up the match when Lucic-Baroni slammed a shot into the net, the American reaching her 29th grand slam final where she will bid for a 23rd major title.
In the earlier semifinal, Venus Williams drew on the experience of 73 grand slam campaigns to come from a set down for a 6-7(3) 6-2 6-3 victory over fellow American Coco Vandeweghe on Thursday.
The 36-year-old sealed the win when Vandeweghe went long after 146 minutes on Rod Laver Arena to reach her second Melbourne Park final, 14 years after she lost her first to Serena in 2003.
Vandeweghe, riding a huge wave of confidence after reaching the last four at a grand slam for the first time, clinched a tight first set on a tiebreaker but was able to convert only one of 13 break points over the contest.
The Williams sisters will contest their first grand slam final since Wimbledon in 2009, which Serena won in two sets.
This is the ninth grand slam final between the American sisters.