PARIS — Top-seeded Elena Dementieva rallied to defeat Melanie Oudin 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 Saturday and reach the final of the Open GDF Suez for the second straight year.

Dementieva will face Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic, who upset second-seeded Flavia Pennetta of Italy 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the other semifinal.

"I'm really happy to get through after such a difficult match," Dementieva said. "She is a real fighter and it's probably the most difficult win of the year for me."

Dementieva, who lost to Amelie Mauresmo in last year's final, was stopped by Oudin in the second round at the U.S. Open. She led 3-1 in the opening set before losing four consecutive games.

The seventh-ranked Russia broke back in the ninth game but lost her next service game.

After trading breaks, Dementieva went 4-3 up in the second set when Oudin committed two consecutive unforced forehand errors. The 28-year-old Russian then broke Oudin in the ninth game to take the set.

Dementieva made the decisive break in the sixth game of the third set with a forehand winner that hit the net before landing on her opponent's side. Dementieva closed out the match with a backhand drop volley.