Rome, Italy (SportsNetwork.com) - Maria Sharapova and Carla Suarez Navarro were semifinal winners Saturday and will meet for the title at the Italian Open on Sunday.

Sharapova, the 2011 and 2012 Rome champion, toppled Russian qualifier Daria Gavrilova, 7-5, 6-3, after Suarez Navarro surprised second-seeded Simona Halep, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, in the opening semifinal on Saturday.

The third-seeded Sharapova lost to Gavrilova in their only previous meeting, a stunning straight-set decision in the second round at the Miami Open earlier this year.

Gavrilova again gave her fellow Russian trouble on Saturday.

Sharapova finally grabbed the first set with a break of serve in the 12th game and quickly fell behind 1-3 in the second set. She then regrouped and won the final five games to finish the match in just under two hours.

Halep appeared on her way to victory in the first semifinal with a set and a break lead, but Suarez Navarro battled back. The Spaniard was broken to start the second set, but won six of the next eight games to force a third.

Neither player held serve over the first eight games of the decisive set until Halep held for a 5-4 lead. She could not close it out.

Suarez Navarro held after dropping the first two points of the 10th game, then broke Halep and finally ended the 2 1/2 hour marathon on her third match point.

The 10th-seeded Suarez Navarro will play in her ninth career final and will try for her second title. She reached a pair of title matches earlier this year, falling to Serena Williams in the Miami final after having to withdraw from the Antwerp final in February because of a neck injury. Her lone triumph came last year in Portugal.

Sharapova has won three of the four previous meetings with Suarez Navarro, but the two have never met on clay. Their lone matchup this year ended with a 6-1, 6-3 Sharapova victory in the Brisbane quarterfinals.

Sunday will mark Sharapova's 58th career final, but first since she lost to Serena Williams in the Australian Open championship match. She owns a record of 34-23 in title matches, including a victory over Ana Ivanovic in the Brisbane season-opener.