British number two Heather Watson reached a WTA semi-final for the first time since September 2018 with victory over Magda Linette at the Tianjin Open.

Watson, 27, saved four match points to beat Polish world number 42 Linette 7-5 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (8-6) in three hours and two minutes.

She last reached a WTA semi-final in Quebec 13 months ago.

“I’m so full of emotions right now,” Watson said on court. “That match was so up and down from both of us.”

Victory over eighth seed Linette ensures Watson will return to the world top 100 next week.

She will play Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova or Ukraine’s third seed Dayana Yastremska for a place in the final.

The 2018 Quebec tournament was its last year as a WTA International tournament. Watson’s previous WTA semi-final appearance came at the Hobart International in January 2018.

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