Elina Svitolina had already endeared herself to the crowd at the ASB Classic. Whatever happens next, her efforts this week in Auckland will now long be remembered.

The Ukrainian produced a performance of courage and quality to overcome Xiyu Wang in Saturday’s semifinal, battling through a debilitating hip injury to set up a dream final against Coco Gauff.

The tournament’s top two seeds had seemed destined to meet in its showpiece match, Gauff easing her way through the field while Svitolina dispatched a couple of big names.

But Svitolina’s back and Wang’s forehand combined to render that scenario unlikely, the latter capitalising while the former twice required medical timeouts to seek treatment

Svitolina could easily have succumbed and saved herself for the Australian Open. Instead, with pained expressions following clean winners, she fought her way back into the match and eventually triumphed 2-6 6-4 6-3.

It remains to be seen whether the former world No 3 has enough remaining energy to test the current No 3 on Sunday afternoon. But no matter the result, her resilience tonight in fading light was greatly appreciated by those in attendance.

Svitolina went to bed at 2am after her quarter-final win on Friday night. She had already seen off Caroline Wozniacki and survived an epic against Emma Raducanu.

And those compounding efforts appeared to have taken effect right from the opening game of her semifinal, going behind 0-30 and taken to deuce before grinding out a hold. That was as good as it got in the first set, falling into that same hole in each of the four games in which she served.

Wang deserved credit for pouncing on the opening, nailing a sharp forehand winner for her first break. But the developing injury was the decisive factor of the first set, with Svitolina’s serve a particular problem.

A double fault in her third service game combined with a number of uncharacteristic errors as she was broken to love, seeing Svitolina call for the physio 1-4 down.

She received attention courtside before taking a medical timeout and using every second. Receiving a warm reception upon return, the treatment initially looked to have worked as she broke back with a classy forehand down the line.

But with the injury still seeming to impinge on Svitolina’s serve, Wang immediately reestablished the double-break to move ahead 5-2. The Chinese then twice double faulted while attempting to serve out the set but escaped with another powerful forehand winner, taking the set in 49 minutes.

With 16 unforced errors from Svitolina and only seven of 15 points won on her first serve, the match appeared set for a quick conclusion. But the 29-year-old instead showed her resolve.

A double fault and yet more errors were hardly the ideal start to her resurgence. Yet, still moving gingerly, Svitolina managed to take the game and grew in confidence after holding to love in her next service game.

Stretching during the changeovers, she started to look a little happier and healthier as the set progressed, delivering a couple of aces and fine winners. And after moving ahead 5-4, she earned her first and only break point of the set, Wang sending a backhand long to leave the match level.

A second medical timeout was followed by yet another 0-30 hole to begin the third set, before an ace secured a hold and boosted the morale. A beautiful backhand pass helped seal her second service game, then the third of three break points was converted to move ahead 3-1.

Svitolina saved two break points in the next game — albeit both owed to opponent errors — and built a double-break to leave her serving for the match. Wang wouldn’t quit and broke back to hand Svitolina one final test, one the world No 25 summarily passed to clinch a rousing win.