Ostapenko beats Halep to reach Dubai final

Jelena Ostapenko earned a stunning victory over two-time former champion Simona Halep to reach the final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

In Saturday's title decider, the Latvian will play Veronika Kudermetova who received a walkover when Marketa Vondrousova forfeited her semi-final due to a right adductor injury.

Ostapenko had previously won just two matches in her previous five appearances in Dubai, but the 2017 French Open winner has now overcome four other former Grand Slam champions this week, beating Sofia Kenin, Iga Swiatek and Petra Kvitova before claiming a 2-6, 7-6, 6-0 win over Halep.

Halep had seemed to be in control as she comfortably took the first set, surrendering just five points on serve and closing out the set with an ace.

Ostapenko responded by reducing her errors, becoming more aggressive and taking a 3-0 lead in the second set, and although Halep managed to level at 3-3, her opponent continued to raise her level.

With Ostapenko leading 6-5, Halep was forced to save two set points on her serve as the set went to a tiebreak, which Ostapenko astonishingly took 7-0 before then sweeping the final set 6-0 in just 21 minutes.

The WTA event concludes on February 19, and then from February 21-26, the tournament celebrates the 30th anniversary of the ATP Tour 500 tournament when world number one Novak Djokovic will be bidding for his sixth Dubai title.