<p class="title">Simona Halep survived a three-set thriller against Angelique Kerber on Thursday to set up an Australian Open final against Caroline Wozniacki, where the number one ranking will be on the line.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Romanian said for a fleeting moment she thought "everything had gone" when facing two Kerber match points before battling past the former champion 6-3, 4-6, 9-7.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But the tenacious Halep stayed alive to put her number one ranking up for grabs in the showdown against the number two seed, with both desperate to win a maiden Grand Slam title.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Definitely was very tough. I'm shaking now," said Halep, who saved the match points at 5-6 on Kerber's serve in the third set. She confessed she wasn't sure how she did it.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I don't remember, but I didn't think about the score. I just took point by point. I had actually two moments when I felt that the match was over," she said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I had no power anymore and everything is gone. I didn't give up, which meant a lot, and that's how I won the match."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Wozniacki beat unseeded Belgian Elise Mertens 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) after a late wobble when she was broken serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Halep, just like me, was down match-points early on in the tournament," said Wozniacki. "I think it's exciting because we're both playing for the number one ranking."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Saturday's final, which could be played in forecast temperature of up to 35 Celsius, looks set to be a gruelling do-or-die clash between two players known for their tenacity and court coverage.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I respect her a lot, and I know it's going to be similar. I will have to run, so a very good rest after this match," said Halep of Wozniacki.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I want to give my best ... and not think about the title. If it's going to come, it's going to come."</p>.<p class="bodytext">In a see-sawing contest, Halep sprinted into a 6-3, 3-1 lead before 2016 Melbourne Park winner Kerber, seeded 21, fought back.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Romanian finally prevailed in 2hr 20min with her fourth match point to ensure a new name will grace the trophy.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I tried to be calm today. It was a rollercoaster, up and down," said Halep. "If you don't give up you can win. I did it well. I am proud of myself."</p>.<p class="bodytext">In her match, Wozniacki almost let Mertens back in when serving for the win at 5-4, and seemingly in complete control.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Two double faults enabled the Belgian, in her first semifinal at this level on her Australian Open debut, to level at 5-5.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Serving to take it to a tiebreak at 5-6 Wozniacki then needed to save three set points before sealing the match in the tiebreak.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It means so much to me," said the Dane after reaching her maiden Australian Open final and her first Grand Slam decider since 2014.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I'm really happy and proud of how I've managed to turn things around when things weren't going my way and keep it up whenever it was going my way."</p>.<p class="bodytext">The final will be only the 17th time in Australian Open history that the number one and two seeds have met for the title -- first and second seeds have won eight times each.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The last time it happened was in 2015 when top seed Serena Williams beat second-seeded Maria Sharapova.</p>
<p class="title">Simona Halep survived a three-set thriller against Angelique Kerber on Thursday to set up an Australian Open final against Caroline Wozniacki, where the number one ranking will be on the line.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Romanian said for a fleeting moment she thought "everything had gone" when facing two Kerber match points before battling past the former champion 6-3, 4-6, 9-7.</p>.<p class="bodytext">But the tenacious Halep stayed alive to put her number one ranking up for grabs in the showdown against the number two seed, with both desperate to win a maiden Grand Slam title.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Definitely was very tough. I'm shaking now," said Halep, who saved the match points at 5-6 on Kerber's serve in the third set. She confessed she wasn't sure how she did it.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I don't remember, but I didn't think about the score. I just took point by point. I had actually two moments when I felt that the match was over," she said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I had no power anymore and everything is gone. I didn't give up, which meant a lot, and that's how I won the match."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Wozniacki beat unseeded Belgian Elise Mertens 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) after a late wobble when she was broken serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Halep, just like me, was down match-points early on in the tournament," said Wozniacki. "I think it's exciting because we're both playing for the number one ranking."</p>.<p class="bodytext">Saturday's final, which could be played in forecast temperature of up to 35 Celsius, looks set to be a gruelling do-or-die clash between two players known for their tenacity and court coverage.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I respect her a lot, and I know it's going to be similar. I will have to run, so a very good rest after this match," said Halep of Wozniacki.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I want to give my best ... and not think about the title. If it's going to come, it's going to come."</p>.<p class="bodytext">In a see-sawing contest, Halep sprinted into a 6-3, 3-1 lead before 2016 Melbourne Park winner Kerber, seeded 21, fought back.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Romanian finally prevailed in 2hr 20min with her fourth match point to ensure a new name will grace the trophy.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I tried to be calm today. It was a rollercoaster, up and down," said Halep. "If you don't give up you can win. I did it well. I am proud of myself."</p>.<p class="bodytext">In her match, Wozniacki almost let Mertens back in when serving for the win at 5-4, and seemingly in complete control.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Two double faults enabled the Belgian, in her first semifinal at this level on her Australian Open debut, to level at 5-5.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Serving to take it to a tiebreak at 5-6 Wozniacki then needed to save three set points before sealing the match in the tiebreak.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It means so much to me," said the Dane after reaching her maiden Australian Open final and her first Grand Slam decider since 2014.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I'm really happy and proud of how I've managed to turn things around when things weren't going my way and keep it up whenever it was going my way."</p>.<p class="bodytext">The final will be only the 17th time in Australian Open history that the number one and two seeds have met for the title -- first and second seeds have won eight times each.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The last time it happened was in 2015 when top seed Serena Williams beat second-seeded Maria Sharapova.</p>