Briton Dart reaches first WTA Tour singles final

A tearful Harriet Dart said it "means the world" to her to qualify for her maiden WTA Tour singles final after battling past to beat China's Sun Xinran at the Guangzhou Open.

Dart has previously reached six WTA Tour-level doubles finals, winning two titles

The 30-year-old qualifier recovered from failing to serve out the first set to save multiple match points in the second before closing out a 5-7 7-6 (6-1) 6-0 victory in a little under two and a half hours.

Dart, who made her WTA Tour debut in Eastbourne in 2015, was playing in just her second tour-level singles semi-final, having previously reached the last four at the 2024 Transylvania Open.

The British number five will face fourth seed Lilli Tagger or Kaitlin Quevedo in Sunday's final, knowing victory will secure her return to the top 100 in the WTA rankings. She has already climbed 14 places to 101st in the live standings.

"It's been a really long journey. I've wanted it so much, so badly - sometimes too much. To finally be here means the world," said Dart.

Source: BBC Sport