Britain's Harriet Dart won the first WTA Tour singles title of her career as she beat fast-rising Austrian teenager Lilli Tagger in the Guangzhou Open final.

Dart, 30, was overcome by emotion following a 4-6 6-3 6-4 victory in a tense final.

The gutsy victory capped a stunning run for Dart, who came through qualifying to lift the trophy at the WTA 250 event.

"Since I was a little girl, lifting a trophy on the WTA Tour has been something I've dreamt of. To be able to finally do it is amazing," Dart told BBC Sport.

"It's crazy to be sitting here as champion after coming through qualifying - it's mad really.

"It's been a wild week - I'm super proud of myself."

The British number five, ranked 115th in the world, twice had a lead in the decider wiped out by 18-year-old Tagger.

But Dart broke for a third time for 4-3 and held serve to move within one game of the title.

Dart held two championship points on 53rd-ranked Tagger's serve in the ninth game - dumping an inviting mid-court ball into the net on the second - but recovered to seal victory in the biggest match of her career.

She took her third championship point with a service winner, falling to the court in joy before celebrating with her team.

As well as taking home the trophy, Dart will be rewarded for the best week of her career by climbing back inside the world's top 100.

It means she will go directly into the main draw of the Australian Open when the opening Grand Slam of the season takes place in January.