WIMBLEDON, England -- Serena Williams rallied from a set and 3-1 down -- winning three key points with a cracked racket -- to defeat Amelie Mauresmo and advance to the Wimbledon final for the third straight year.

Williams, trying to become the third woman in 35 years to win three consecutive titles, won 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-4 in a topsy-turvy match full of drama, momentum swings, spectacular shots and animated displays of emotion by both players.

Williams will face 17-year-old Maria Sharapova in Saturday's final. Sharapova, who also came back from a set and 3-1 down, beat former champion Lindsay Davenport, 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-1 to confirm her reputation as the biggest new star in the game.

It took nearly 2 1/2 hours for Williams to overcome Mauresmo, who received treatment several times on her lower back but pushed the champion to the limit.

When the Frenchwoman hit a forehand wide on match point, Williams jumped high into the air with her arms extended. She curtsied and blew kisses to the Centre Crowd, which gave the players a standing ovation.

"This is definitely the most special moment in my career, right now," Williams said.

It's the first trip back to a Grand Slam final for Williams since she beat her sister Venus for last year's Wimbledon title. She underwent surgery on her left knee last August and was sidelined for eight months.

"It was really tough out there today," Williams said. "I was more excited than anything because it's been a really tough year for me. I'm here and I really feel like I'm playing good again."

Earlier, playing in her first Grand Slam semifinal, Sharapova hit a stunning 46 winners -- 20 more than Davenport -- to overcome the 1999 champion. She's the first Russian woman to reach the Wimbledon final since Olga Morozova, who lost to Chris Evert in 1974.

Sharapova is the youngest Wimbledon finalist since Martina Hingis, who won the title in 1997 at 16, and the third youngest ever to reach the women's title match. The youngest was Lottie Dod, who won the championship in 1887 at 15.

"It's unbelievable," Sharapova said. "I'm in the final. It's absolutely crazy. It's my favorite Grand Slam. I never in the world expected to do so well here, so early. I'm amazed."

When Sharapova ripped a forehand winner off a Davenport first serve to go up 4-1 in the third set, the match was all but over. She held at love in the next game and then broke a demoralized Davenport to end the contest.