Elina Svitolina stunned Iga Swiatek, holding off the Pole's late attempt to fight back, and booked her place in the final of the Italian Open.

Svitolina was pegged back by Swiatek, but the Ukrainian triumphed 6-4 2-6 6-2 in two hours and 16 minutes to set up a meeting with Coco Gauff on Saturday.

Svitolina struck first as the pair traded breaks early in the match, but she did not let her head drop after being pinned back by Swiatek.

Despite failing to see out the first set while 5-3 up, Svitolina produced her third break of the opener to take the early advantage.

Swiatek shook off the cobwebs in the second, though, racing into a 3-0 lead before putting herself on the cusp of a decider.

The Pole failed to convert her first set point, but made no mistake on the second with a vital love-hold.

It looked like Svitolina was set to cruise through the final set after reeling off the first three games, but Swiatek clawed her way back in.

The world number 10 held her ground, however, defending a break point to take a 5-2 lead before converting her second match point.

Data Debrief: Svitolina downs another top-five opponent

Since 1990, Svitolina (31y 235d at the start of the event) is now the oldest player to claim multiple WTA top-five wins at a single edition of the Italian Open – the last event she did so was the WTA Finals in 2019.

She is also the oldest player in the Open Era to defeat multiple former champions at a single edition of the tournament.

Since the format's introduction in 2009, Svitolina is now the second-oldest player to reach WTA-1000 finals on hard and clay in a season, after Serena Williams (2014 and 2016).

She will face last season's runner-up Gauff in the final, but Svitolina has won both of her previous showpiece appearances in Rome (2017 and 2018).