Romania's Simona Halep kisses her trophy after winning the singles tennis final match at the WTA Dubai Tennis Championships February 21, 2015. Halep overcame Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-4 7-6(4) in the final of the Dubai Championships on Saturday to claim a 10th WTA singles title that will lift her back to third in the world rankings. [Photo/Agencies]

Halep clinched the first set with an angled serve that a lunging Pliskova scuffed into the net.

With the large Romanian contingent chanting her name on a balmy desert evening, Halep eased off in the second, a wide forehand and a double fault gifting Pliskova a 2-0 lead.

Halep broke immediately, Pliskova shanking a forehand long that led the Czech to leave court for treatment on a hip injury.

The final six games went against serve. Pliskova saved match point with a crosscourt backhand winner and Halep double-faulted on another as the set went to a tiebreak, but a forehand winner sealed it 7-4.