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Basel - David Goffin ended the dream run of teenager Borna Coric, the conqueror of Rafael Nadal, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 on Saturday to reach the final of the Swiss Indoors.
Croatian Coric, 17, and ranked 124th, was brought down to earth fewer than 24 hours after he won the match of his career, defeating 14-time major winner Nadal in the quarter-finals.
Goffin, who has exploded into form since Wimbledon with a 43-2 record, will face either five-time champion Roger Federer or Croatian Ivo Karlovic in Sunday's final.
World number 28 Goffin, a low-key character at the best of times whose baby-face disguises a killer instinct on court, credited his steady, calm demeanour with getting him through against Coric.
"I'm pretty calm on and off the court," said the Belgian whose Grand Slam main draw debut at Roland Garros in 2012 was ended by Federer in the fourth round.
"I think my personality helps me manage on the big points. I'm really happy to have won and reached the final," said the seventh seed who needed four match points to close out Coric.
"It's never easy to finish a match. I was nervous and I'm pleased that I won."
Between Davis Cup, Challengers and ATP play, Goffin has won his last 16 matches since losing in the Wimbledon first round to Andy Murray.
His season has included ATP titles at Kitzbuhel and Metz and four trophies on the lower-level Challenger circuit.
"It's a great period for me, I've been playing better and better in each match, I have the confidence now and that is helping me. I'm able to just keep winning right now."
Goffin will be playing in his third ATP final and hoping to maintain an undefeated record in title matches.
The Belgian won the first set but found himself level-pegging in the second after Coric struck back with his fifth and sixth aces to earn the second set.
In the third, Goffin broke for 3-1 and eventually earned three match points from a Coric error.
The Belgian double-faulted on one of his winning opportunities but secured the win on his fourth match point from a Coric return over the baseline.
Goffin, 23, earned the first top 10 win of his career in the quarter-finals as he defeated number nine Milos Raonic.
The Belgian stands 0-1 against Federer and has never played Karlovic.
