Aryna Sabalenka is the first to admit it's a work in progress but the world No.1 will persist with "Plan B" as the challengers come for her Australian Open crown.
The Belarusian progressed to the Brisbane International final for a second consecutive year despite a thorough examination from 17-year-old Russian whiz Mirra Andreeva on Saturday night.
She won 6-3 6-2 in 89 minutes, saving all eight break points in a match that belied the one-sided scoreline and will play qualifier Polina Kudermetova in Sunday's decider.
Known for her brute force and aggression, Sabalenka's attempts to add slice, spin, depth and a change of pace to her play have been clear in Brisbane.
Sabalenka said it was a necessary evolution of her game as she aims for a third-straight Australian Open title as the clear favourite.
"It's not working really well, but that's what I'm trying to develop in my game," she laughed after a match that yielded mixed results from drop shots and slices.
"That's 100 per cent great to have the variety in your game. Whenever you have to switch to 'Plan B', you have something to play with.
"Having those tricky shots, that slice, changing the rhythm, it's going to really bring a lot of benefits to my game.
"Facing someone who is really aggressive, but who can have a great touch, it can be frustrating.
"I have so many options, kind of like go crazy with that.
"I have to trust my first instinct, then just go with the flow."
Earlier Kudermetova blazed her way into the final, the 21-year-old to rise 50 places in the rankings after beating Anhelina Kalinina 6-4 6-3.
She mixed 40 winners with 35 unforced errors to ensure the match was on her racquet. The victory means Kudermetova will rise from 107 to at least No.57 in the world.
Kudermetova's seven-match winning streak in Brisbane include's two qualifying victories, a first top-10 scalp - No.9 Daria Kasatkina in the round of 16 - and has sent her into a maiden WTA 500 final.
"When I was coming to Australia and I say to my coach (Ravshan Sultanov), 'hopefully I will win the quallies, the first one'," she said.
"Then I say when I was winning the quallies, I say like, 'let's try to win one game (match) then I will be happy'."
A medical timeout to receive treatment to her right arm between sets didn't halt the Russian, who is the second qualifier to reach the Brisbane decider after Aliaksandra Sasnovich in 2018.
"For now it's okay; I've had so many matches, I had a little bit of pain, but now it's okay," she said of her forearm.
