But after needing 43 minutes to win the most competitive seven-game opening set of the tournament, Halep retained her cool to seal victory with two more service breaks in the second set.

"It's an amazing feeling. I'm really excited and also nervous to be in the final. It's one of the best moments of my life," Halep said.

"I was playing to enjoy it as much as possible and also to play through to the final. It was not as easy as the score shows. She's an amazing player and always a difficult opponent.

"I fought feally hard to win the match. I think I played the right tactics – I was very strong mentally and physically."

A loser of her first three grand slam finals, Halep had carried a reputation as temperamental and not mentally strong enough in the mind to win tennis' biggest prizes.

But she's now playing with a new-found freedom after finally breaking through last year in Paris.

"I'm not giving up," Halep said. "I'm trying to be my best version of myself and I fight to win until the very last point because I want to win every match."

AAP