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Tianjin Open: Heather Watson into first WTA final since 2016

British number two Heather Watson has reached her first WTA final for three years by beating Veronika Kudermetova in the Tianjin Open semi-finals.

Watson, 27, beat Kudermetova of Russia - ranked 80 places above her - 6-1 6-4 in China.

The world number 125 will face Sweden's Rebecca Peterson, ranked 59th, in Sunday's final - her first since the Monterrey Open in March 2016.

"Hopefully I can play as well as I managed today," said Watson.

After saving four match points and needing more than three hours to beat Magda Linette of Poland in the quarter-finals, things were a lot more comfortable against 22-year-old Kudermetova on Saturday.