Mo Sheung Grace Lau earned a shock win in Dubai ©WKF

Hong Kong's Mo Sheung Grace Lau delivered the biggest shock on the opening day of the Karate 1-Premier League competition in Dubai.

The women's kata athlete found herself in a tough pool at the Al Wasl Club sports hall in the World Karate Federation event, with world champion Kiyou Shimizu of Japan providing the sternest opposition.

Lau handed Shimizu the first defeat of her international career last year at the Karate 1-Series A Salzburg event.

She proved the Japanese fighter's nemesis again by clinching a narrow 3-2 win over the two-time world champion.

A 5-0 win over Italy’s Carola Casale in the semi-final ensured the Hong Kong athlete a place in the final.

"In the first bout today I was very nervous," the 26-year-old said.

"As I made it through the rounds, I realized that I just had to do my best; I just had to give all that I got.

"I can’t believe that I am in the final.

"It is my second time beating Shimizu.

"This is so exciting for me; it is an amazing feeling to have this result."

Spain’s Sandra Sanchez will provide the opposition in the women’s kata final, after the European champion claimed a 3-2 win over Japan’s Hikaru Ono.

Sanchez is now chasing her third consecutive gold at the event in Dubai.

Competition is set to take place for the next two days in Dubai ©WKF
Competition is set to take place for the next two days in Dubai ©WKF

Turkey’s Serap Ozcelik produced an impressive display in the women’s under-50 kilogram kumite competition.

She eased through three pool matches before beating Azerbaijan’s Nurana Aliyeva 4-1 in the semi-finals.

Ozcelik is now set to face Erini-Christina Kavakopoulou, with the Greek karateka having advanced to her maiden senior final.

Germany’s Jana Bitsch and Italy’s Sara Cardin will meet in the women’s under-55kg kumite competition, after they beat Brazil’s Valeria Kumizaki and Yassmin Attia in their last four matches.

Five-time world champion Rafael Aghayev remains on course to defend his Dubai title, after the Azeri overcame Iran’s Aliasghar Asiabari of Iran 3-2 in semi-final of the men’s under-75kg event.

Aghayev will hope to bounce back from defeat in the Karate 1-Premier League Paris final last month.

He is now set to face Hungary’s Gabor Harspataki.

Competition will continue for the next two days.

More than 600 competitors from 74 countries are competing at the event.