Ronnie O'Sullivan will play Mark Selby in the Welsh Open final after respective semi-final wins over Shaun Murphy and Stephen Hendry.
Hendry and Murphy sent packing in Newport
Ronnie O'Sullivan rolled in three centuries during a 6-3 victory over Shaun Murphy in the semi-final of the Welsh Open.
O'Sullivan will meet fellow Englishman Mark Selby in Sunday's final after the Leicester potter had earlier recorded a 6-4 win against Stephen Hendry.
It was O'Sullivan's third success in as many meetings with Murphy and was built on breaks of 113, 101 and 143 as well as four others in excess of 50.
Murphy had stolen the first frame with a 70 clearance and added another run of 76 in the third frame to lead 2-1.
But O'Sullivan's effort of 113 in the fourth levelled the match at 2-2 at the mid-session interval.
And he maintained that form after the break with a 101 to move in front for the first time at 3-2.
Murphy took a tactical sixth to move level again, but O'Sullivan then reeled off three consecutive frames to seal victory, completing the result with a 143 clearance to put himself in line for the £2,000 highest break prize.
Not too bad
"I knew I had to raise my game because I heard how well Shaun had been playing here," said O'Sullivan. "I suppose that did me a favour in that I was more focused.
"It's always difficult to analyse your performance because you're so involved in winning. I tend to remember the bad balls I missed but I suppose that wasn't too bad."
Jester joy
Earlier, Selby had recorded a hard-fought 6-4 success over Hendry.
The opening four frames were shared before Selby - nicknamed the 'Jester from Leicester' - rolled in a 71 break to move 3-2 ahead.
Hendry levelled with a run of 130 and, after Selby won a tactical seventh to go 4-3 in front, repeated the feat with another century, this time worth 124.
However it was the in-form Selby, winner of the Masters and runner-up at the UK Championship already this season, who seized the moment in Newport.
He won a nervy ninth in which both players had chances and then sealed victory with a 70 break in the next.
