INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Daniela Hantuchova, a Slovakian teenager coming of age on the women's tour, came back from a first-set loss Thursday to beat Emmanuelle Gagliardi 4-6, 6-0, 6-4 Thursday in their semifinal at Indian Wells.

Hantuchova, who advanced with a 4-6, 6-0, 6-4 victory, will face the winner of the Martina Hingis-Monica Seles match Thursday evening (9 ET, ESPN). The final is Saturday.

The 18-year-old Hantuchova assured herself of breaking into the top 20 in the women's rankings for the first time. Beginning the year at No. 38, she jumped to 18th by reaching the finals at Indian Wells.

Also seeded 18th, she earlier defeated third-seeded Justine Henin 6-3, 6-3, then downed No. 12 Lisa Raymond 6-4, 6-2 in the quarterfinals.

A year ago, Hantuchova lost to Rita Kuti Kis in the first round of the tournament.

This time, the young Slovakian looked nervous in the first set against Gagliardi, spraying her groundstrokes. She came back to dominate the second set as her Swiss opponent began making mistakes.

A 5-foot-11, 123-pounder who covers the court well, Hantuchova took the match after holding serve to go to 5-4, then breaking Gagliardi.

Hantuchova needed just one winner in the final game, a forehand down the line for a 30-0 lead. Her other four points came on unforced errors by Gagliardi, including a forehand volley that sailed long on the final point.

Hantuchova, who comes from a tennis-playing family with a computer scientist father and toxicologist mother, joined the tour when she was 16 and is still looking for her first singles title.