Lucas Pouille will have the chance to break into the ATP's top 10 for the first time in his career after coming through in three sets against Filip Krajinovic to reach the final of the Dubai Tennis Championships.

The Frenchman is enjoying a hot streak on tour and a 6-3 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (7-5) victory sees him reach a third final in four tournaments.

In a match disrupted by rain on three occasions, Pouille twice came within two points of victory in the second set having broken at 2-2, only to be hauled back and forced into a decider.

Neither player gave a sniff in the third set, but it was Pouille – a Davis Cup winner with France – that surged clear from 2-2 in the tie-break to book a final with Roberto Bautista Agut, and victory will see him make a top-10 breakthrough.

"I played much better [in the] first and second sets, [at] 6-3, 5-3," said Pouille. 

"I think I made a mistake to continue playing when it was raining, but he deserved to win the second set. 

"He put his returns into the court [and] he was aggressive. Then, in the third [set], it was very, very close. I'm just very happy I got through this one."

Bautista Agut is sure to provide a formidable opponent in the final, the Spaniard reached a 14th career Tour final by ending the fine run of Tunisian wildcard Malek Jaziri, who knocked out top seed Grigor Dimitrov, in a 6-3 6-4 triumph.