On Saturday at the Western & Southern Open, Karolina Muchova trailed Aryna Sabalenka in a semifinal match for the second time this year ... and for the second time this year, Muchova rallied to win. 

In a rematch of the pair's Roland Garros semifinal, which Muchova saved match points to win in June after trailing 5-2 in the third set, the Czech was a 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-2 winner over second-seeded Sabalenka to advance to her first WTA 1000 final. 

Muchova will face Coco Gauff in Sunday's final, after the American had her own upset in the semifinals: After losing her first seven matches against Iga Swiatek, Gauff won a three-set thriller to reach her first WTA 1000 final. 

"Similar to what we played few months back in Paris I would say ... it could go both ways," Muchova said afterwards. "It was just pure fight. I'm glad that I got through. Yeah, to be in my first 1000 final, it's great achievement, and I'm really pleased with that."

As a result of the 2-hour, 37-minute win, the Roland Garros finalist is also projected to rise into the Top 10 of the WTA rankings for the first time, no matter her result against Gauff.

"I think I was even outside of 200 end of the last year, so it's incredible," Muchova said. "I mean, I always was hoping and believing that I can be up there, but you never know.

"In the past, my health was a big issue. It always stopped me. Yeah, I'm just really, really pleased how it's going. To be in top 10, I can say it for rest of my life that I was top 10 tennis player from all of the people. It's great achievement."

Turning point: Both players had chances to win a hard-fought first set, which was eventually won by Sabalenka in more than 70 minutes after Muchova served for it. Sabalenka sprinted out of the gates and lead 4-1, 0-30, before Muchova won four straight games. Later, she also led 3-1 in the tiebreak. 

After she lost serve twice in the opener, Muchova never faced a break point across the second and third sets.

Stat of the day: Muchova is now 5-4 against Top 10 players in 2023. 

Championship outlook: Gauff and Muchova have never played. This will be the first WTA 1000 final between two players in their first hard-court WTA 1000 final in five years, since Aryna Sabalenka beat Anett Kontaveit in Wuhan in 2018.

"I don't think we even ever practiced together," Muchova said. "I know she is a great mover. Powerful, again. I saw some rallies today when she played Iga. Very, very tough. Like every round here, it's very tough. I'm looking forward to that.

"I think just the experience that I played a [Grand Slam] final is great, to have that, to know how to handle some situations. Yeah, I hope that will help me tomorrow. This is just my second final, so I'll try to bring it on tomorrow, what I've learned in Paris, too. Yeah, try to maybe improve tomorrow. We'll see.

"It's completely different. It's different surface, different tournament. Also I'll just try to take it as another match and focus on that."