Carlos Alcaraz overcame a partisan home crowd to battle past Lorenzo Musetti 6-3 7-6 (4) and take his place in the Italian Open final.
World number three Alcaraz, who saw off Britain's Jack Draper in the last eight, had built on an early break in the opening game to comfortably take the first set in just under an hour.
Italian Musetti, though, regrouped for the start of the second set - lifted by the vocal support on Campo Centrale as Alcaraz started to struggle in the windy conditions.
Musetti, who had been beaten by the Spaniard over three sets in the final of the Monte Carlo Masters last month, soon converted two breaks as he moved into a 3-1 lead.
Alcaraz, though, dug in to claw back to 4-4 with a break of his own before holding to leave Musetti serving to stay in the match.
The Italian, who knocked out Daniil Medvedev and then defending champion Alexander Zverev on his way to the semi-finals, was able to hang on to force a tie-break.
However, Alcaraz's range and power proved decisive as he took a second match point with another fine cross-court forehand.
It wasn't about playing brilliant, spectacular tennis. It was about playing smart
"Today was a really difficult day with the conditions, the wind was tough to play with," said Alcaraz, quoted on the ATP Tour website.
"It wasn't about playing brilliant, spectacular tennis. It was about playing smart tennis, playing solid, going to the point when you can, and waiting for the chance to play aggressively.
"I think I did that pretty well, I stayed strong mentally when things didn't go to my side."
Alcaraz will face either Italy's Jannik Sinner, making his return from a three-month doping ban, or American Tommy Paul in Sunday's final.
