French Open: Serena Williams fights back to beat Timea Bacsinszky and reach her third final

Serena Williams came from a set down to beat Timea Bacsinszky to reach the French Open final at Roland Garros.

The No 1 seed went down by a single break in the first set but hit back to win 4-6 6-3 6-0 to advance to the final where she will meet Lucie Safarova.

Bacsinszky more than matched Williams for the first set and a half before the American, despite appearing to be struggling, seized control, rattling off 10 straight games to progress.

The 19-time Grand Slam champion will now compete for her third French Open crown, adding to the two won in 2002 and 2013.

However, Williams looked unwell throughout the match, putting iced towels around her neck and against her forehead at changeovers, fell a set and a break down as the 23rd-seeded Bacsinszky peppered the court with backhand winners.

Bacsinszky had promised not to be intimidated and she was true to her word at the start of the match.

The 25-year-old broke for 3-2 with a quickfire service return winner, leaving a subdued Williams to walk back to her chair at a snail's pace.

Williams had her only break point of the set in the 10th game, but the Swiss saw it off with a trademark backhand winner.

Bacsinszky then had set points, but fired long on the first and Williams saved the second with a backhand winner down the line.

On the third, the American had her opponent on the ropes, but with the court wide open, she fired a forehand wide.

Bacsinszky broke in the fifth game of the second set and Williams fought back tears at the changeover.

She came back fighting, however, to break back for 3-3, held serve and broke again for 5-3. She served it out, clenched her first and twirled in celebration.

This time it was Bacsinszky who looked disoriented and she never recovered as Williams motored away.