Great Britain's Harriet Dart has been kept waiting for her first WTA Tour final as she was beaten by Karolina Pliskova in the last four of the Transylvania Open.
The British number three, who had already guaranteed a best-ever result at the top level by reaching the semi-finals, was comprehensively beaten 3-6 3-6 by the two-time Grand Slam runner-up.
Pliskova already had two victories under her belt from two previous WTA Tour meetings with Dart, who got off to a nightmare start in their last-four encounter, losing serve to love in her opening game.
The Czech former world number one threatened to run away with the first set as she earned the double break for a 4-1 lead, although Dart made things interesting with an immediate break back in the sixth game.
The Briton saved another two break points to hold and cut the deficit down to one, but Pliskova's constant pressure told again as she broke for the third time while Dart was serving to stay in the first set.
Pliskova's title-winning nous came to the fore in the second set, as she roared into a 4-0 lead before Dart earned a surprise break to love, but the 27-year-old had only delayed her Cluj heartache.
Pliskova will now square off with Ana Bogdan for the right to lift the trophy, although Dart still departs safe in the knowledge that she will jump back into the top 100 of the WTA rankings next week.
Ben Knapton
