Ostapenko fights back against Halep to reach Dubai final

Jelena Ostapenko came back from a set down for a third consecutive match as she overcame former world number one Simona Halep 2-6, 7-6 (7/0), 6-0 to reach the final of the WTA event in Dubai on Friday.

The Latvian, who knocked out sixth seed Iga Swiatek in the second round and saved a match point before ousting Petra Kvitova in the quarter-finals, will take on Russian world number 31 Veronika Kudermetova in Saturday's title decider.

The free-swinging Ostapenko has knocked out four Grand Slam champions en route to the final, and denied Halep a shot at claiming a third Dubai crown.

Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open winner, is through to the 11th final of her career, where she will be looking to clinch her first hard-court title since 2019.

"Playing a Grand Slam champion fourth match in a row, it's not easy," said the 24-year-old.

"Just happy with the way I was fighting. When things didn't go my way because I felt a little bit exhausted in the beginning, I needed time to just maybe get warmer and, yeah, just managed to win the match."

It was the third meeting between the pair, and the first since 2017, when an unseeded Ostapenko shocked Halep in the Roland Garros final - after trailing the Romanian by a set and a break - before Halep avenged that defeat in Beijing a few months later, which secured her the number one ranking.

Halep drew first blood, breaking the Ostapenko serve in game five before doubling her advantage to take the opening set in a mere 26 minutes, wrapping it up with back-to-back aces.

Ostapenko started the second set with renewed purpose, carving a 3-0 lead aided by an uncharacteristically sloppy service game from Halep. But Halep responded immediately and they were soon back on level terms.

Double faults began to