His tour de force five-set win over the four-time Australian Slam champion followed another exhaustive five-set demolition of world number one Andy Roddick in the quarter-finals.

The 24-year-old unseeded Russian is into his third Grand Slam final where he will play prospective world number ones, Swiss second seed Roger Federer or Spanish world number three Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Safin, the 2000 US Open champion, came into the year's first Grand Slam with an entry ranking of 86 after missing large chunks of last season with a left-wrist injury. The marauding Russian had the tennis world at his feet here two years ago when as the ninth seed he knocked over 14-time Grand Slam champion Pete Sampras in the round of 16 and was the favourite to beat 16th-seeded Swede Thomas Johansson in the final. Yet in an upset, Safin, watched by a bevy of glamorous blonde admirers in the players' box, bombed out in four sets after going a set up.

It is a performance that does not go down well with the moody Russian, and he says he has learned from that experience.

Asked if there is anything he learnt from that final two years ago, Safin said: "I might learn a little bit. But is like a completely different final. "It has nothing to do with two years ago. It wasn't my best tennis. I had problems with myself. "I just couldn't get over myself in that final. I just lost -- I couldn't play my best tennis. "I was too nervous, too much other pressure. That's why I couldn't pull my best weapons in that final."

Safin, his confidence sky-high after downing Agassi over five high-quality sets in a memorable 3hr 42min semi-final, says Sunday's final will be different.

"But coming right now, I've beaten so many good players, I'm full of confidence and it's a completely different story. Going to be, I hope."

Safin has stated throughout these heady two weeks that he wasn't here just to make up the numbers, even though he was not considered among the main contenders for the first major of 2004.

"I didn't come here to lose in the fourth round or the quarter-finals, I came here to try to win it and I'm almost there, just one left to go.... everything's going my way at the moment."

Safin has defied the conception that he doesn't put enough into his tennis, by slaving away on court for a total of 18hr 50min for his six matches, including five-setters over Americans, Todd Martin, Roddick and Agassi.

Agassi is renowned for his spartan fitness when he comes down for the Australian Open, yet it was 1.93m (6ft 3in) Safin who finished the better in Thursday's fifth set. Safin worked himself to a standstill in Monte Carlo last November to be ready for the rigours of seven best-of-five-set matches in the harsh Australian summer and he is at his fittest for Sunday's last match.

"It's very important because my tennis is all about my fitness," he said. "If I'm physically well, then I have no problems with my tennis.

"I was difficult to stay focused for one month, I mean, staying in one place, doing your job from morning till night and I managed to do it.

"I'm getting a lot of confidence from that also.

And the girls? The former world number one's entourage of glamorous admirers -- nicknamed the 'Safinettes' -- are nowhere to be seen this year. Instead, it is his mother, Rausa, renowned as a no-nonsense disciplinarian during her time as a coach in Moscow, who is occupying pride of place in the stands -- and Safin couldn't be happier.

"She's here just to enjoy the tennis of her son, just to be proud. I hope she's proud of me and what I'm doing," said Safin.

Safin was coached by his mother between the ages of six and 13, but she has had no involvement in his remarkable campaign other than to offer support.