Peer through to final

The Israeli needed just over two hours to claim victory, finally breaking Tu in the 12th game of the second set to reach her first final of the year.

She will play either seventh seed Venus Williams or 16-year-old Romanian qualifier Ioana Raluca Olaru in Saturday's final.

"I knew she was playing well in this tournament because she was beating players very easily," Peer said.

"There were many moments in the match where I was just clapping as she was hitting winners from anywhere.

"I served well on the important points and I just kept fighting."

Peer, who reached the quarter-finals at last month's Australian Open, had won all three of her previous meetings with Tu -- dropping just three games in their most recent encounter -- and had romped through to the last four here for the loss of just 10 games.

World number 70 Tu, who had also not dropped a set on her way to the semi-finals, put up a huge fight and never allowed Peer to get away.

After a first set that contained five breaks of serve, Peer edged it and then came through an epic service game at 1-1 in the second set, saving two break points.

Tu saved nine break points in all, including five in the sixth game, and games went with serve until 6-5 when the Israeli snatched the break to clinch victory.