Katie Boulter's hopes of reaching the Birmingham Classic semi-finals ended in a straight-set loss to Simona Halep.

Boulter can take a lot of positives from her performances here, with the start of Wimbledon just 10 days away.

In the first round she claimed the biggest win of her career by ranking as she beat American Alison Riske for her first victory over a top-40 player.

She followed that up with a comfortable straight-set win over French former world number four Caroline Garcia.

But second seed Halep posed a challenge too far for the world number 141.

The Briton put the former world number one under some early pressure, carving out two break points in the Romanian's opening service game.

She then saved three break points at 4-4 but double-faulted on the fourth to give Halep the decisive break, with the Romanian then serving it out.

Boulter showed some of her familiar fighting spirit when she went a break down at the start of the second, immediately breaking back. But that was the last game she won as Halep took the next five to settle the match.

The Romanian, who is playing her first grass-court tournament since her Wimbledon triumph after missing last year's event though injury, will play Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia - winner of last week's Nottingham Open - for a place in Sunday's final.

World number 32 Haddad Maia stretched her winning streak on grass to eight matches with a 6-3 6-2 victory over Italian third seed Camila Giorgi.

Halep's compatriot Sorana Cirstea - the sixth seed - is also through to the semi-finals after coming from behind to beat Croatia's Donna Vekic 5-7 6-3 6-4.

She will play Chinese eighth seed Zhang Shuai, who overcame Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska 7-5 6-4.

Boulter, meanwhile, will now set her sights on next week's Eastbourne International after being awarded a wildcard for the event on Friday.