Ding Junhui booked his place on Sunday's UK Championship final after emerging with a 9-5 semi-final victory over Stephen Maguire.
Chinese ace moves into UK Championship final
Ding Junhui booked his place on Sunday's UK Championship final after emerging with a 9-5 semi-final victory over Stephen Maguire in Telford.
Both men were searching for a second UK title, but it is 2005 winner Ding who will get the chance to lift the trophy again as he faces either Ronnie O'Sullivan or John Higgins in Sunday's final.
Scotsman Maguire held a 6-1 advantage in the head-to-head record heading into the match, although Ding won their last meeting at October's Grand Prix.
Ding edged into a 5-3 lead in the best-of-17 frame semi-final after the first session, but Maguire won the first two frames in the evening to level it up at 5-5.
A tense battle for the final looked on the cards, but Chinese star Ding lifted his form and rattled off the next four on the bounce to put him one match away from the title.
First strike
Maguire struck first with a 73 handing him the opener, but Ding responded with a 66 levelling the contest and a 75 putting him in front.
28-year-old Maguire's response was immaculate with a superb 97 again making it all-square at 2-2, but Ding then rattled off three frames on the bounce after the mid-session interval with an 83 the highlight.
2004 winner Maguire dug in and breaks of 35 and 64 ensured that he trailed by just two frames heading into the second session on Friday night.
It was the Scotsman who started quicker at the resumption, as Maguire won a tight opening frame in the evening on the black and then enjoyed a massive slice of luck to win the next.
Ding needed a snooker with just the blue, pink and black remaining, but secured it when Maguire failed to swerve around the pink.
However, Maguire then fluked the blue into the middle pocket with his next shot to get back on level terms.
Crazy
If Ding was rattled at being pegged back he certainly showed no signs in the next frame, rattling in a total clearance of 134 to get back in front.
And from then on it was one-way traffic, the Chinese star completing victory with a break of 69.
Speaking after the win, Ding told
www.worldsnooker.com: "It's crazy, I've never done this before - been in two finals in a row - but the next match will be very hard. They (O'Sullivan and Higgins) are both good."
Maguire admitted he was not at his best throughout the tournament, and expects his conqueror to face a far tougher test on Sunday.
The Scot said: "All week it's not been one visit. No-one's punished me, it's different when you come up against someone like Ding who is doing it one visit.
"He looks very good amongst the balls, but I gave him more chances then he'll probably get in the final.
"I need to get back on the practise table and get back to where I was a couple of years ago."
