MASON, Ohio (AP) — Maria Sharapova slogged through three sets while Kim Clijsters needed only 12 minutes on Saturday to set up a final match at the Cincinnati Open.

Clijsters progressed when Ana Ivanovic hurt her left foot during the opening set. She retired in tears with the rest of her season in doubt, and received an empathetic hug from the Belgian.

“It sounds very similar to what I had with my left foot,” said Clijsters, who tore a muscle in her foot last April and missed nearly two months, including the French Open. “I hope it's not that bad.”

The fourth-seeded Belgian will be well-rested when she plays her third title match of the year against Sharapova, also trying for title No. 3. She beat fellow Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 in a sloppy semifinal.

Clijsters broke Ivanovic's serve to go up 2-1. In the next game, the Serb hurt her left foot while setting up to make a forehand return from the baseline. She hit one more point during the rally – another forehand – then dropped her racket and bent over in pain.

“All of a sudden on that one shot, I felt something, you know, crack a little bit,” Ivanovic said. “I was very scared.”