Rising Russian Anastasia Myskina continued the pattern of Eastbourne upsets to set up a final between two non-seeds for only the second time in the event's 29-year history.

Myskina destroyed fellow prospect Daniela Hantuchova 6-2, 6-1 in yesterday's semi-finals of the Britannic Asset Management Championships.

Hantuchova (5), the only seed left, failed to live up to her billing in a one-sided encounter lasting 52 minutes.

Myskina's opponent today (1.30) in the final of the underdogs, worth £65,000 to the winner, is American Chanda Rubin.

The only other year when two unranked players made it all the way through was 1994, when Meredith McGrath defeated Linda Wild in an all-American clash.

Myskina's success was less of an eye-opener than the seedings suggested.

She is ranked 19 in the world, just six places lower than Hantuchova, and is in a hot streak on grass after losing to Jelena Dokic in the final in Birmingham last Sunday.

The Moscovite's preparations for the grass season were oddly enhanced by a first round defeat in the French Open, played on clay.

That gave her the opportunity to practise indoors on fast courts at Roland Garros.

Her confidence soared earlier this year when she came close to upsetting Venus Williams in Dubai and Jennifer Capriati in Miami.

"After Venus and Jennifer I felt I could beat players in the top ten," she said. "I played very well last week and I was ready to play well here."

Myskina certainly did yesterday. She returned effectively and barely made a mistake from the back of the court.

Two volleying errors by Hantuchova, one backhand and one forehand, clinched two breaks of serve in the first set.

Hantuchova, watched by her Lewes-based coach Nigel Sears, pulled off Brazil-type comebacks in her previous two matches against Martina Navratilova and Amy Frazier.

Her hopes of staging a repeat evaporated when she left a passing shot which clipped the line, then double faulted to gift Myskina a 3-1 lead in the second set.

Myskina had her game plan all worked out after beating Hantuchova in straight sets on clay in the Italian Open earlier this year, their only previous meeting.

"I knew she would play a lot of volleys and I was ready for it," she said. "I did everything I wanted.

"I played unbelievably well and I was lucky on a few points which were really important when I hit right on the line."

Myskina celebrates her 21st birthday two days after the women's final at Wimbledon, where she expects to reach the last eight.

"I have seen my draw and it's not really hard, but the French Open was the same. I am ready to be in the quarter-finals."

Hantuchova praised her opponent and refused to regard her exit as an opportunity missed.

"She played a very good match and I have to give her all the credit," said the 19-year-old.

"I didn't play well and my basics weren't great, but I still think I've had a pretty good week. It was good preparation for Wimbledon."